Pokémon: Adventures in High School - New England Dreams
by Ds Freaks9900
Summary: Two years go by, and a new journey is about to begin. Much like going to school, the new Trainers in town have a lot to learn, which will take them farther than some may have thought. With a new journey, comes a new planetary threat that will need to be stopped. It's no wonder many say people have many journeys throughout high school.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Use Dragon Claw!" A mysterious woman called out. Out of nowhere, a huge pink Pokémon came out of nowhere and it looked like it was gonna lunge right at me. But somehow, I knew what I was doing.

"Dodge it quick! And use Close Combat!" I yelled. Then another Pokémon, this one looking like an ape, and had a huge flame coming out of the top of its head, ran toward the pink Pokémon after avoiding its attack. Then it started throwing powerful punches and kicks which seemed to have dealt some massive damage. While it looked cool, where the hell am I? And why am I in a Pokémon battle with this woman?

My vision started to go white unexpectedly, and a few seconds later, I was in a completely different location. No action at all, but rather calm, it was dark out, and lights everywhere you can imagine. It actually looked pretty from what I could tell. But there were still Pokémon there, just being used in a different way. I felt so warm and comfortable though…

I looked around, seeing that I was actually riding a horse Pokémon with flames as its mane, which were not burning me to death surprisingly, and would explain why I felt warm. Why am I riding this Pokémon though? And when I looked to my right, there was a girl next to me, also riding a Pokémon of the same species. Then we smiled at each other and I saw her blushing. Who is this girl? How or why did I even get here? I don't know. I have so many questions right now…

Then my vision went white again, and everything went black shortly after. I quickly opened my eyes and rose from my bed with a huge gasp coming out of me, still panting and my heart racing. "Oh," I thought. "It was just a dream."

But I somehow still get jumpscared yet again, this time by my own phone's alarm. Seems I woke up a minute before I was supposed to get up. That never happens. "Dammit," I said under my breath as I reached for my phone to dismiss the alarm. Usually I never set my alarm for much of anything, unless the next day had something big going on to the point where I had to get up early. I'm not an early bird at all, if you couldn't already tell; I hated getting up early. No matter what the reason was.

Walking upstairs from my bedroom into the kitchen, after getting out of my pajamas and putting on some other clothes, I could already smell the fresh aroma coming from the food my dad was cooking for breakfast. I can already tell he was making French toast with bacon and sausage. It sucks that I can't smell it from my bedroom downstairs in the basement; Would've been nice to have that aroma fill up the room every morning. Know what I mean? I'm pretty sure I made you hungry or even craving that right about now.

"Morning Ian!" My dad Cole yelled as he heard me walk into the kitchen, still cooking breakfast.

"Morning," I said as I was yawning and stretching.

"You seem to have slept well," He said. "You hungry?" He then asked.

"Very," I quickly responded. "Though I didn't sleep as well as I hoped," I added.

"Well you better be in a good mood before we get outta here," Dad told me rather bluntly. "You do know what today is, don't you?" He asked firmly.

"What?" I asked, completely clueless, thinking that he's acting stupid. "It's Wednesday. What else would it be?" I snapped.

Dad quickly sighed, either due to me snapping at him, or that he didn't get the answer he'd hoped. "Don't tell me you forgot that you're getting your first Pokémon today?!" He then responded.

"Oh!" I responded myself. "I almost forgot!" I added. "Whoops."

Dad couldn't help himself but chuckle a bit, possibly trying to make me look like a dumbass in the process. "That's okay," He said. "You just woke up, and not fully functioning yet. Plus you're getting miserable already because you didn't have anything to eat yet," He said.

"Well you don't say?" I said sarcastically. I really wasn't in the mood for his jokes this morning due to me getting a lack of sleep, but a nice meal will fix that soon. I hope.

"I deserved that."

"Very much so."

Dad looked back at me with no response. Possibly twitching his eye or giving me a death stare, but I wasn't paying attention as I was already glued to my phone. You probably already know what most high school students have and do on their smartphones nowadays, so I won't go into detail of what I was doing.

My time on my phone got cut short as Dad told me that breakfast was ready. I was more than ready to devour all the food he puts on my plate. I'm hungry. And when I am, I make it well-known.

"There you go!" He said as he was putting my plate on the table. "Want something to drink?" He then asked.

"I'll get it myself," I responded as I got up from my chair, to my despair. But I'm no child. I'm eighteen years old for crying out loud! I don't need my dad to get me a glass of milk when I can just do it myself! Ok, maybe when I'm lazy, but you know what I mean.

After we got our drinks of choice, we sat down and immediately started eating, and I was in it in no time flat. This, and cinnamon rolls are breakfast meals that you don't wanna interrupt me on. Just saying.

"Are you even tasting it?!" Dad asked jokingly. I eat somewhat fast, yet he still makes this damn joke all the time, regardless of what I'm eating. This is considered "normal" for me though! Everyone eats at their own pace, so why can't I?! Jeez. If I had a dollar for everytime my dad asked me that, I'd be a freaking millionaire.

"Are you actually surprised?" I asked sarcastically yet again, still with my mouth somewhat full.

"No," He responded. "But you eat so goddamn fast! Why don't you slow down and take your time?!"

"Dad," I said after I swallowed. "This is normal for me. There are people that eat _way_ faster than me. You eat reasonably quick as well."

I saw Dad snap his fingers as he was swallowing his food. "Point taken," He responded.

I couldn't help but chuckle myself. He and I like to joke every now and then, but he hasn't been home for most of the day ever since he got his new job at a Connecticut local news station. As for Mom, she launched her new company in Long Island, so we had no choice but to move here from Sunyshore City in Sinnoh. Well, there was another reason for this, but we'll not go into that. I rarely get to see her, as she stays onsite overnight sometimes. Make that a lot of the time actually. She comes home for a week every month then goes back to work, but we do visit her from time to time. But she never talks about what exactly happens at the place for some reason. Makes me worried a lot of the time.

About a half an hour later, Dad and I were ready to head out so we can go meet the Pokémon Professor at the high school. I'll admit, I'm actually really excited. Becoming a Pokémon Trainer sounds exciting after all. And I already knew which Pokémon I was getting as well.

"Wanna drive?" Dad asked as we were approaching his car.

"Nah," I responded. "I'm still not fully awake yet."

"All right," He responded. "Let's get this show on the road!" He then said as he was getting in the car. I simply sighed as I'm sure he tried to make a bad pun. Then I got in the car myself.

We arrived at the high school with plenty of time to spare. Actually, the high school and middle school share the same building, so the building itself looks absolutely massive. But each school are actually rather small, which may or may not be good. I just hope when school starts, I have a better experience than what I went through previously.

As we were walking to the entrance, which was quite the hike as the middle school entrance came first, we came across a young girl, who was about my size and looked my age with light brown hair just past her shoulders, walking with her father, who were walking right toward us.

"Good morning!" The girl said to both of us.

"Morning," Dad responded as the four of us came to a stop.

"What brings you here?" She asked. "School doesn't start for another week."

I quickly filled in before my dad even had time to respond. "We're here so I can get my first Pokémon!" I said with excitement.

"Ooh! That's exciting!" The girl then said. "I'm Jill by the way. This is my dad, Frank."

"I'm Ian," I responded. "Nice to meet you," I added, reaching my hand out to Jill to shake hers.

Jill happily took my hand and shook it with ease. "Same to you!" She said.

Then our fathers introduced themselves to each other. It was just what you expected. Though what Jill asked her father after caught all of us off guard.

"Hey Dad, can we stay until Ian comes out with his new Pokémon?" She desperately asked him.

Frank sighed and it seems he quickly gave in. "Of course we can. Incidentally we just got done seeing Professor Fir ourselves," He said.

"Oh did you?" Dad quickly asked. "How is he?"

"He's a really nice guy. I think you'll like him," Frank said.

"Plus he's a teacher here! So you can ask him questions regarding Pokémon training, class, or even both!" Jill added.

"That's nice to know," I said. "What classes does he teach?"

"He researches the effects of Trainer-Pokémon bonds," Jill responded. "He also does some classes with Professor Kukui as he used to be a Gym Leader."

"Gym Leader?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jill said. "Heard of them?"

"We have," Dad responded.

"We're originally from Sinnoh actually," I added.

"Oh," Jill responded. "Where in Sinnoh are you from?"

"Sunyshore City," I said.

"Nice," Jill responded. "How long have you guys been here?" She then asked.

"Jill, can you save the questions for later?!" Frank quickly asked, and rather irritated. "Ian has an appointment with Professor Fir, and I don't want to see him be late!"

"Sorry," Jill said apologetically, rubbing her hand on the back of her head, and blushed a little. I'm sensing something here from Jill, even though I just met her. She's cute though, I'll admit. She also seems pretty nice. Let's hope she stays that way.

"But we'll definitely be waiting for you," Frank said. "I am pretty curious on which Pokémon you end up choosing."

"I think everyone is curious about that," Dad said. "Come on Ian." Dad then started walking toward the main door.

"Coming!" I responded and ran a little to catch up.

"So we have a new student," Jill said. "Wasn't expecting that."

It didn't take that long to find Professor Fir's office, as I already knew my way around thanks to one of the office secretaries, who offered me a tour of the school last week. I better get comfy here quick, as this is gonna be my only year here since I'm gonna be a Senior. Shoot, I forgot to ask Jill if she's gonna be a Senior as well! From the looks of it, she does seem to be a Senior, but I don't wanna make any assumptions.

As we were approaching his door, which was left open, he saw us before we saw him. "Hey!" He shouted. "Come in! Glad you could make it!"

His office looked kinda trippy, but cool at the same time. I thought it was gonna be a lab to be honest, though those were upstairs. When I think of laboratories, I think chemical tubes all over the place, an eerie environment, everyone in protection gear from head to toe, and other things. But that wasn't the case with Professor Fir's lab, which seemed a lot simpler, almost closer to a traditional classroom. There were a few large machines scattered throughout the room, a large desk with chairs surrounding it (Possibly for his classes.), and a large open space near the right side of the room, with his desk being the only interruption. I heard that's common with the labs of other Pokémon Professors around the world, including Professor Rowan from Sinnoh. I kinda like it.

"Great to meet you both in person!" The Professor said. "I'm Professor Fir."

"Nice to meet you as well Professor," Dad responded. "My son Ian here has been looking forward to today!"

"I don't blame him!" Professor Fir responded. "All Trainers in the making look forward to that special day of finally meeting their partner, and setting off on their journey. So Ian, what do you plan to do with your Pokémon?" The Professor asked me.

"Well, I, I really don't know," I slightly hesitated, worrying about what he might say.

"That's okay," He responded. "Most Trainers these days are unsure about what they would want to do on their journey. But sometime down the line, they'll find what they were meant to accomplish; It's in their destiny," He said.

"In their destiny?" I asked. I was kinda following along with what he was saying, but the destiny thing caught me off guard.

"Right!" He quickly responded with much enthusiasm. "Not too many Pokémon Trainers know about their destiny though. But this thought erupted in my head after I had two particular Seniors a couple years back, who were also knew at the time, and put on quite the showing for us! You remind me of one of them, if I'm being honest with you."

"Really?" I asked. Do I really remind him of one of his past students? Who were these students? I kinda wanna know one of these days.

"Yeah," He said. "They're off at college now. I wonder how they're doing, 'cause they did go on a worldwide journey shortly after they graduated. Haven't heard from them since they got back."

"Oh that's too bad," I responded.

"Eh, I'm not worried about it," He said after a few seconds of silence. I guess they really did have a close relationship. "But that's enough about me! I'm going off topic! Sorry about that!" He said as he sweatdropped.

"It's fine!" I quickly responded. "Don't worry about it! We're in no rush!"

Professor Fir let out a pretty audible sigh after hearing me telling him that. "All right," He said. "So, Ian, ready for the moment of truth?"

I looked at Dad before looking back at the Professor with a determined look pressed firmly on my face. "Yes!" I exclaimed.

"Good!" Professor Fir responded. He went back to the other side of the room to grab a super large briefcase out of one of the large cabinets. Seriously, it's huge. Like the size of a freaking suitcase. But it didn't seem all that heavy as he was able to lift it onto the nearby table with ease, laying it down on its side.

"Inside of here, are all the twenty-one current Starter Pokémon from across the various regions." He said as he unlatched the latches holding the case shut. "Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola," He added as he lifted the lid.

I was nearly drooling from all of the Poké Balls in front of me. I want them all, but I can only have one! They all looked so cool and cute!

"On the left side, we have all of the Grass-Type Starters," The Professor said. "In the middle, we have Fire. And on the right, we have Water. You can only have one of these Pokémon. I know, tough choice, but we have to have it like that to keep it fair for everyone."

"Understandable," I responded as my eyes were looking all over the place, glancing at every Poké Ball. But I wasn't gonna waste ten minutes making up my decision, as I already knew who I was picking.

"So, do you know which Pokémon you want?" The Professor asked. "Or do you need a few minutes?"

"I don't need any time at all, as I already know who I want!" I firmly responded.

"That's wonderful!" The Professor responded. "Then go ahead and make your decision!"

I nodded as I reached my hand for one of the Poké Balls. The one in the very middle to be exact. Chimchar.

"So you're going with Chimchar?" Professor Fir asked. "The Fire-Type Starter from Sinnoh?"

"Yes I am!" I responded. "I've always wanted to go with Chimchar if I were to ever go on a journey through my former home region."

"Oh that's right, you two are from Sinnoh?" Professor Fir asked both of us.

"Well, there's also my wife as well," Dad responded. "But she's working a ton of hours after launching her own company, and she wasn't able to come see this today unfortunately."

"Oh." The Professor responded. "Sorry to hear about that."

"It's fine," Dad said. "We are still able to see her, which all that counts."

"I agree," The Professor said. "I remember not being able to see my family all the time when I was young, so I know what it's like. Anyway, why don't you call out Chimchar so you can introduce yourself?"

"That's a great idea!" I responded. "Chimchar, come on out!" I shouted as I tossed Chimchar's Poké Ball.

Out came the tiny chimp Pokémon that had a little flame acting as its tail. I've always found Chimchar to be pretty cute, and watching its final evolved form battle on TV when I was young fascinated me so much. I knew that I just had to pick this little guy; It'd be a crime for me not to.

"Chimchar!" It shouted as it jumped and landed on one foot while putting its arms in the air.

I chuckled at Chimchar's pose as I picked it up. "Hey there buddy! My name is Ian! Great to meet you!" I felt my smile get bigger as I grinned at Chimchar. My excitement is getting the best of me if you couldn't tell already.

Without any hesitation, Chimchar immediately hugged me, showing just as much excitement. We were meant to meet.

"Now Ian, it's time for me to hand you the necessities for being a Pokémon Trainer," Professor Fir said as he was walking to his desk. When he came back, he was holding a tray with a lot of things on it. "And here they are!"

"That looks like a lot," I said.

"It's not a lot actually," He responded. "Let's get the boring out of the way first." He added as he was handing me some kind of card. "Here is your Trainer ID. Pretty self-explanatory. A digital copy is also found in your Pokédex, which is right here," He said as he pointed to the largest item on the tray. "This is the very device that gives you the most up-to-date info on all of the current-existing Pokémon found throughout the world."

As Chimchar was adjusting itself on my shoulder, I went to pick up the Pokédex, which felt pretty light actually. I'm such a sucker for technology, so there's a good chance I'll get nerdy with it once I get to know it. Might I add that this thing looks like a smartphone. Complete with a dual camera setup on the back, most likely used for scanning Pokémon.

"And these right here, as you can easily guess, are your Poké Balls," The Professor continued. "Possibly the most useful item as you can possibly tell, as they're used for carrying your Pokémon around. Pretty self-explanatory as well, if I say so myself."

I thought for a second that the Poké Balls had a problem with them as they looked smaller than the one I just handled, but after Professor Fir demonstrated them for me, that little worry of mine quickly went away. Seems like they were made that way so they can easily carried without occupying so much space in a backpack or something like that.

"So Ian, any questions?" Professor Fir asked me.

"I think I'm all set," I responded. I felt pretty confident, but I know I can always count on him for any help that I might need. Having an experienced Trainer as one of my school teachers makes me feel a bit more comfortable now. Seriously.

"Well if you have any questions, you know you can always contact me," He said. "I'm always available to help."

"Thanks," I said. I already like this guy. He seems pretty damn cool.

"Well, I think it's time that we get outta here," Dad said. "I'm sure you have your own work to do, right Professor?"

"Yeah," Professor Fir responded. "School's starting in a week after all. By the way Ian, since you're here, let me see if you're in any of my classes." Professor Fir quickly walked over to his computer and checked his class lists. Gotta respect the guy for being a teacher _and_ being a Pokémon Professor at the same time. Not too many people can multitask that efficiently. At least, that's what I think.

"Looks like I have you for the second semester," He said. "Seems I have you in Trainer-Pokémon Bonding." This school uses the semester cycle as well? At least there's something that I'm familiar with, though I need to look over my schedule so I don't go to the wrong class on the wrong day. Come on, I'm sure there's at least someone reading this story that has done that at least once in their life.

"Really?" I responded. "Nice."

"It sure is!" He responded. "So, I'll be seeing you next week!"

"Likewise Professor!" I said, shaking his hand.

A short while later, Dad and I were back outside, making our way back to Jill and Frank. As we were heading out, I put Chimchar back in its Poké Ball so that I can show them. Then once we got outside, I saw Jill holding a Pokémon of her own in her arms, which looked like a Chikorita.

"There you are!" Jill said as we were approaching her and her father. "We were starting to get a tad worried!"

"Despite me telling her that there was nothing to worry about," Frank added. "Hopefully everything went well with the Professor."

"Everything went fine!" Dad responded.

"That's awesome!" Jill said. "So, which Pokémon did you pick?"

"I'll show you!" I responded enthusiastically. "Chimchar, come on out!" I shouted as I tossed Chimchar's Poké Ball once again.

This time, Chimchar somehow landed on my shoulder, though I was kinda anticipating that at the same time, so I wasn't surprised.

"Oh wow! You went with Chimchar!" Jill said. "Hey! This gives me a chance to let you meet my partner! Chikorita!"

"Chika!" The little Grass Pokémon responded in such a high-pitched voice. It was so adorable as a result!

Both our Pokémon jumped off of us and landed on either shoulder. Chikorita felt pretty light, though it felt a tad heavier than Chimchar, but still more than manageable for the shoulder. It actually felt pretty soft against my neck as it rubbed itself against my head, even with the "collar" around its neck. I don't even know what to call that. Can't forget about the leaf on top of its head as well.

Seems Chimchar likes Jill as well, as it loved getting its back rubbed by her. Something's telling me that we're gonna get along very well if our Pokémon already like the other Trainer despite just meeting.

Soon our respective Pokémon went back to us after playing with each other while all of us talked for a bit.

But our departure wasn't gonna be so relaxed as a group of four Starly started circling overhead, with all of them swooping down at us one at a time for no reason.

"What's going on here?!" I asked while yelling. "We didn't do a thing to these Starly!"

"We heard something loud go off a minute before you two came out!" Frank said. "That must've caused these Starly to become scared and attack whoever it saw!"

"But why are they attacking now if it's been a few minutes?!" I asked. "That should've been an immediate reaction!"

"That's what we were thinking as well!" Jill added. "Maybe they haven't calmed down just yet!"

We had practically nowhere to hide. If we hid in the middle school entrance, as that was closer, then there would be a chance that the Starly would break the windows, so we didn't wanna take a chance. That leaves us with no choice: We'll have to battle them if they don't stop.

"Can we do anything?!" Dad asked.

"I think I got an idea," I responded.

"What do you have?" Dad then asked.

"I think we'll have to battle them," I responded. "They're not showing any signs of stopping. Plus I kinda wanna make a Starly my first catch."

"Are you crazy?!" Jill asked. "That's only gonna make it worse!"

"Well what else can we use to tell them that there's nothing to be scared about?!" I responded rather firmly. "If there's any Pokémon that can calm this group down is one of their own!"

"I get it," Frank said. "Then I'll help!"

"So will I, I guess," Jill said. "Chikorita, you'll have to go back in your Poké Ball for now."

Chikorita looked a bit worried, but still nodded at Jill as being a Grass Type, it'd be at a disadvantage. But what other Pokémon is Jill gonna use? I'm sure she has another Pokémon with her if she is making Chikorita go back in its Poké Ball, but I can still be concerned.

"All right Sunsil, here we go!" Jill shouted as she threw her Poké Ball. Sunsil? That supposed a nickname?

Apparently it was a nickname, as out came a greenish-yellow fox Pokémon that spit embers out of its mouth. I think that was a Vulpix, but it looks a bit different. The light that came out of its Poké Ball did sparkle when it landed on the ground after all, so that has some meaning to it. But that didn't matter at the moment.

"Time for some fun Pikachu!" Frank shouted as he threw his Poké Ball, and out came the namesake yellow mouse Pokémon. Everyone knows Pikachu after all, so it was immediately recognizable.

"Well Chimchar, time for our first battle!" I said to Chimchar.

Chimchar nodded to me with a determined look on its face, and it jumped off of my shoulder, ready for battle.

"Ian, you know the basics for catching Pokémon, right?" Jill asked with some concern.

"I do," I responded. "I have to battle the Pokémon until it gets weak enough before throwing any Poké Balls."

"Dead on!" Jill responded.

While that's great and all, but there was one more Starly we had to worry about. Though it looked like it has already calm down, but none of us were taking any chances here. Thankfully, Dad was also a Trainer as well, so he'll chip in if he has to.

"So let's see what moves you can use," I said to Chimchar as I was pulling my Pokédex out of my left pocket.

" _Chimchar is able to use the following moves: Ember, Scratch, Flame Wheel, and Dig_ ," The Pokédex told me. Flame Wheel? Dig? Right out of the gate? Talk about pure dumb luck.

"That's a good start!" I said. "So let's see what you're capable of! Use Scratch!"

Chimchar did exactly as I told it do do so, lunging at the tiny bird to scratch it with its claws.

Starly quickly recovered from Chimchar's attack, rushing toward Chimchar to strike it. That looked like a Tackle.

"Not a bad start at all!" I said. "Now use Ember!"

Chimchar went to shoot its attack out of its mouth, but quickly got struck by Starly from a Quick Attack. That didn't stop Chimchar from finally shooting Ember at Starly.

"Nice shot!" I shouted. "Use Flame Wheel!"

Chimchar proceeded to cover itself in a spinning wheel of fire, and started to run at Starly, but wasn't able to hit the bird, as Starly quickly flew high to avoid Chimchar's attack. Then it rushed back to Chimchar and hits it with its wings, most likely being a Wing Attack. What's with this Starly? Or is it my dumb luck again?

"Crap!" I shouted as I saw Starly fly up, avoiding Chimchar's attack and hitting it in the same turn.

"Don't give up Ian!" Dad said. "Just keep trying! You'll get it!"

I turned back to Dad and simply nodded at him. This was my first ever battle, and I don't want anyone to ruin it for me. I'm gonna have to learn anyway, so this is my first big leap as a Trainer. "Chimchar, give it another Flame Wheel!" I commanded.

The chimp nodded and did the same attack, this time hitting Starly pretty hard.

"Nice!" I shouted.

But Starly wasn't done yet. It rushed toward Chimchar once again, but no way is this gonna be a repeat. "Dodge it!" I shouted.

Chimchar did exactly what I said, and started running to the left, but Starly was on its tail. Not literally.

"Oh man!" I shouted. Chimchar can't run forever, so I had to think of something, and fast. I got an idea, though I'm not sure how well it'll work, but we'll try. "Chimchar, jump and use Ember!"

Chimchar looked back, but knew what I was saying. It did a backflip, jumping directly over Starly, and shooting Ember right at it. Bullseye. And Starly started to fall to the ground.

"Now would be a good chance Ian!" Dad shouted.

"Do it now!" Jill shouted.

"Got it!" I said. "Go Poké Ball!" I shouted as I threw the ball at Starly, bouncing off of Starly before opening.

Starly's body glowed red and deformed before going in the Poké Ball, then the ball closed and dropped to the ground before shaking three times and clicked. It simply stopped. Did I really just catch a Pokémon on the first try? It seemed too good to be true.

"You did it Ian!" Jill said, holding Sunsil in her arms. "You got Starly!"

I felt speechless, but I actually caught my first Pokémon. That Poké Ball wasn't gonna come back to me by itself, so I walked to it and picked it up then looked back at the group.

"Go ahead!" Jill said. "Call it out!"

I nodded then tossed Starly's Poké Ball, calling it back out.

Out came the dark gray bird Pokémon, landing directly on one shoulder, while Chimchar climbed onto another.

"Welcome to the crew Starly!" I said to Starly.

Starly spread its wings and chirped in happiness, but I didn't catch Starly just for the sake of it being my first catch. That was part of the reason.

"Starly, can you let your group know that everything is calm now?" I asked it. "You know, just in case." After all, there was that fourth Starly, but it didn't attack at all during the three battles that were going on. So we seem to be fine as long as my Starly talks to the others.

The other three seemed to understand, and flew away. Thank Arceus for that. Now we can finally get outta here.

"Glad that's over," I said. Everyone else definitely agreed. "By the way. Jill, is that a Vulpix you're holding?"

"Yeah!" She responded. "A Shiny Vulpix to be exact!" She then proceeded to walk closer to me, putting Sunsil closer to me. "Go ahead! Pet it! It loves making new friends!"

I went ahead and did so, and reached my hand to pet the Vulpix on its head. Its fur felt as soft as a blanket and warm to the touch, making this an ideal Pokémon to snuggle with at night. At least, that's what I got from my first impressions after a few strokes. It was so adorable though! Then I got an idea: See what the Pokédex says about Vulpix.

"I kinda wanna what the Pokédex has to say about Vulpix," I said. After all, if I'm gonna meet a ton of Pokémon, it's time that I learn about them.

"Sure!" Jill responded. "I wanna see, too!"

With that said, I pulled my Pokédex out of my pocket again, and pointed it at Sunsil to let it scan for data. And voila.

" _Vulpix - Kanto Form: The Fox Pokémon. A Fire Type,_ " The Pokédex reads. " _The six beautiful tails of Vulpix have made it very popular. Rumors say that if Trainers raise one when it's young, then it'll grow close to them like a puppy Pokémon._ " Grow close like a puppy Pokémon? That's the cutest thing I've heard all day! Now I want one of my own!

"Aww!" Jill cried. "That's why Sunsil is such an attention hogger! Aren't you?!" She asked her Vulpix in a high-pitched voice while petting its head.

"Vul!" The little fox Pokémon said. Just hearing it is too cute! I'm gonna die from cuteness before the day is over!

Frank suddenly checked his phone, possibly for the time, and realized he was late for something. "Jill, I'm sorry that we gotta cut this short, but we gotta go," He said. "I forgot my appointment is in ten minutes."

"Don't worry about it Dad," Jill quickly responded. "I can just walk home. Not that big a deal."

Frank simply sighed at her response. Seems she's done this quite a few times. Either she's really begging or he gives in a lot. "Just be careful, alright? I don't want to see you in trouble."

"I'll be fine!" Jill said. "Plus I can help Ian learn the ropes as well!" She added.

"Fair enough," Frank responded. "But if anything happens, call me right away."

"I will," She said.

With that, Frank walked off to his car and drove away. After what happened with those two, I think Dad is thinking I'm gonna pull off the same idea and walk with Jill.

"I suppose you're gonna do the same Ian?" Dad asked. Yep, right on the mark. Did I call it or what? Besides, I do wanna get to know Jill more after all. She is a very nice person.

"Might as well," I responded. "It is nice out today after all."

"Figured," Dad said. I swear, if he ships us already, I'm gonna scream. "I gotta get to work anyway. Be careful you two."

"We will!" The two of us responded simultaneously.

Dad chuckled as he walked off to his car himself, and drove off to work. That just leaves Jill and I. Alone. Neither of us said a word for a few seconds. Eventually one of us has to break the silence. But apparently we had the same question for each other.

"So, where do you live?" Jill asked first before I can speak.

"Edgewood Road," I responded. "You?"

"I live on the same street!" Jill happily responded. "You have a driveway that goes to the back of the house as well?"

"Yeah," I said.

"Oh my gosh! We're neighbors!"

"No way!"

At that point, we high-fived each other pretty hard. Even though it kinda hurt, it felt satisfying to both of us. I forgot how satisfying it was to high five one of your own friends. I used to a lot before everything went downhill for me. But anyway, we both laughed at the pain of that high five.

"So, ready to go?" I asked. I was trying so hard not to blush at the same time, because I don't wanna make it sound like I'm asking her out.

"Yep!" She responded rather quickly. "Alright Sunsil, take a rest for now."

Sunsil licked Jill's cheek before nodding at her. That thing just melts my heart. I wanna play with it more. But Jill had to put it back in its Poké Ball before we head out. Same goes for me with Chimchar and Starly.

A few minutes later and we were already walking down the hill toward Main Street. There was a place that Jill wanted to show me down there, which did have me interested. That being said, my family has been living here for about three months now, so I should've adjusted to the town by now. However, there could be something that a native like Jill knows about that I don't.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," Jill suddenly said. I braced myself for her question for no reason. We just met after all; There's no way one of us has a crush on each other already. Sure there's love at first sight, but that definitely didn't apply to either of us.

"Sure," I simply responded. "What is it?"

"How long have you and your dad been living in Portland?" She asked. Ok, good. It was just that. I got worried for nothing.

"About three months now," I said. "Why you ask?"

"Oh, I was just wondering," Jill responded.

"Alrighty," I said. "In fact, I wanted to ask you something myself."

"Sure. What is it that you wanna ask?"

"How did you and Sunsil meet?"

"Oh! That! Actually, Sunsil hatched from an Egg that my family had been raising." Her Vulpix hatched from an Egg? That would explain why she made that remark earlier, and why those two are so close. They must've been together for awhile.

"An Egg?" I asked.

"Yeah," She responded. "My parents are Pokémon Breeders actually, so they let me help them raise it until it hatched. I wanted to be the one to raise Vulpix as well. So I became a Pokémon Trainer a few days before the Egg hatched so I can be ready for it."

"That's nice," I said. Sounds like being a Pokémon Breeder is a better job than working at a news station or being an entrepreneur. "How did your family even get the Egg?"

"We were raising some Pokémon for a family that had been working overseas for a while, so they asked us to look after them while they were gone," She said. "But their Persian and Ninetails were 'having fun' one night, and the next morning, we found the Egg." I totally get what she was saying when she said "having fun." I have such a dirty mind sometimes, but it does come in handy for conversations like this.

"Oh really?" I asked. "How come you guys were able to keep the Egg if it didn't come from your Pokémon?"

"Well, when they returned, and we told them what had happened, they told us that we can keep it. They didn't have any room for anymore Pokémon, so they let us keep it in return for looking after their Pokémon for them."

"Oh that was nice of them," I said.

"Yeah," Jill said. "I've always wanted to have a Vulpix, so this brought me one step closer to having one. I got so excited when we found out that it was a Shiny Vulpix, too."

"Nice!" I responded.

Jill smiled and nodded at me. "My mom was originally gonna raise it, but when Vulpix jumped into my arms after hatching, that settled it. It wanted me to raise it."

"Aww," I responded. "That's adorable."

"Yeah," She said. "I've been doing most of the raising as my parents were helping with the other Pokémon at our Daycare."

"Oh, that would explain why you family had to raise that family's Pokémon!" I said.

"Yeah," Jill responded.

We continued to chat as we were coming close to our destination: The town battlefield? That's what was next to the intermediate school? This is convenient for me.

"Here we are!" Jill said. "The town's battlefield!"

"Oh that's cool!" I said. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Jill nodded at me once again. She wanted to have a battle with her new friend. Plus she did say that she was gonna coach me through the process of being a Pokémon Trainer as well.

As we were gonna head in, we saw two Trainers already having a battle, so we had to wait for our turn, as there was only room for one. We could ask them if we can form a Tag Battle, but I don't mind waiting. Gives us a chance to chat for a bit more. Or so I thought.

"Hey! There you are Jill!" Some guy yelled as he was walking toward us.

"Oh! Leo!" Jill yelled as she walked toward the guy and embraced him into a tight hug. Was that her brother or something?

"And who's this guy?" Leo asked, giving me a suspicious look. What did I ever do to him?

"This is Ian," Jill responded. "He's somewhat new here, as his family moved here about three months ago. He just became a Pokémon Trainer today!"

"Well congrats dude," Leo said. "Maybe you and I should battle one of these days once you get good." That last bit triggered me a bit. Is he trying to taunt me or something? 'Cause I'm not falling for whatever he's trying to pull.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce both of you!" Jill said. "Ian, I'm sure you heard, but this is my boyfriend Leo." Boyfriend? Dammit.

"Pleasure to meet you Ian," Leo said, reaching his hand out toward me to shake.

"Likewise," I said while shaking his hand. I have my suspicions with this guy. Gotta keep my guard up.

"What were you two up to?" Leo asked.

"We were planning to have a battle, but we're gonna have to wait for a bit," Jill responded.

"Well, how about I walk you home then?" Leo suddenly asked. Jeez, can't this guy wait? Is he really that desperate to get Jill away from me?

"Why now?" Jill asked. "We can chill right here."

"Well, where're you from Ian?" Leo asked me.

"Edgewood Road," I responded. "She and I are neighbors."

"Aren't you two lucky!" Leo responded. I don't know how to feel about this guy. "How about we walk back together?"

"That works," Jill responded. "That okay with you Ian?"

"I'll actually hang here so I can train with my Pokémon," I responded. I had to lie. After seeing what her boyfriend is trying to do to me, I wanted some time to myself.

"O-Ok," Jill said. "Then I guess I'll see you when you get home."

"See you man!" Leo said, walking away with Jill, holding her hand.

I simply waved at them as they left. "So she's got a boyfriend?" I asked to myself. "Great. Just fucking great."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Despite me getting the pretty crappy news that my newest friend Jill already has a boyfriend, that didn't stop me from getting to know her pretty well on the first day. At least I got that accomplished. But the real reason I didn't go with Jill and Leo wasn't because I was jealous (Well, that was part of it.), but I actually wanna watch the battle that was going on at the current moment. I could learn a thing or two from watching as well. Looks like there was a young boy and a rather suspicious-looking adult male in a black and white outfit. Looks like it was his Natu against the kid's Eevee. This'll be interesting to say the least.

"Heh. Let's see what you got kid," The man said. Even his voice sounds suspicious. This is most likely not gonna end well.

"You got it!" The kid responded. "Eevee, use Quick Attack!"

The tiny little fox Pokémon did what the kid told it to do, and rushed toward Natu and hits it dead on. Quite the fast little one, I must say. Granted that was a Quick Attack, but still.

"Now Natu, Peck. Let's go," The man commanded.

Natu suddenly flew up, and rushed over toward Eevee and pecks it with its beak. That's gotta hurt…

"Hey, that wasn't too bad!" The kid said. At least he's enjoying the battle already, even though it just begun. "Now use Tackle!"

Eevee then charged at Natu, hitting it again.

"Aerial Ace," The man called. "Now."

Natu flew at even higher speeds, hitting Eevee with no regrets. Aerial Ace seems like a good move to put on any Flying-Type Pokémon, as I've heard it never misses the target. Good for some situations.

"Eevee, you okay?!" The kid yelled. Seems like he wasn't much of a battler, but gets really into it when he gets the chance.

But the Eevee quickly got back up and nodded at him, then turned back to Natu.

The man then simply scoffed in a rather peculiar way. "Just what I needed," He said. Now I'm starting to get worried, yet I'm not even involved in this battle. I better prepare to leap into action if he tries to do anything.

"Let's keep it up!" The kid shouted, completely unaware of the suspicious things this man is saying. "Use Tackle again!"

Eevee once again charged at the Natu, but Natu's Trainer had something up his sleeve. Literally.

"Get out of its way," He said.

Natu simply flied up, just enough so that Eevee can't jump for it.

"Now I got you just where I want you," The man said. He rolled up his left sleeve, revealing some sort of gadget, with a diamond-like crystal near the wrist, and a circular opening near the elbow. He grabbed an unusual-looking Poké Ball and tapped it on the the circular part of the gadget, causing the Poké Ball to suddenly glow.

"Whoa!" The kid said. "That's so cool! What does it do?"

"Watch, and learn," The man said. He then threw the glowing Poké Ball at Eevee, still managing to catch the Eevee! Even I know that's not normally possible! Clearly this guy is some sort of criminal, and he just stole a Pokémon right in front of the kid, and me! No way I'm gonna let this crap go unnoticed!

After seeing what had just happened, my first initiative was to help that kid get his Pokémon back. No matter what. So I ran inside to confront the man. "What do you think you're doing?!" I scolded him.

"That's none of your business," The man told me. "What you may have saw is none of your concern."

"Stealing another's Pokémon is nothing to be concerned about?!" I asked. "That's just wrong, and cruel!"

"That's your opinion," He said. "Now get out of my way. I still have things to do here."

"Not until you give the kid his Pokémon back!" I yelled. "Who do you think you are anyway?!"

The man simply scoffed again. "All I can say is I'm a Grunt from a group known as Team Space," He said. "Now scram before I hurt you!"

"If you think you're just gonna get away with something like that, then you'll have to go through me!" I yelled. This was a big risk I'm taking, but I'm willing to take it. Stealing Pokémon in the middle of a battle is a serious crime I've heard. Enough to get your Trainer ID suspended for a certain amount of time, if not permanently. Whoever thought making this guy a Pokémon Trainer in the first place is an idiot.

The Grunt scoffed at my remark once again. He probably thought I was saying what I said just to intimidate him. "You can't be serious," He said. "Are you actually willing to confront a member of Team Space? You have to be joking." He continued to stare me down while he said that. But I wasn't gonna back down, and I'll do whatever it takes to help this kid. I feel like I repeated myself right there.

"Do I sound like I'm kidding?!" I asked. "Give the kid back his Pokémon, or there will be serious consequences!"

"Try and make me!" The Grunt said. "I'd love to see you try!"

I felt the kid pull on my shirt, still in tears. "Please mister!" He said as he sniffed. "Get my Eevee back from that bully!" I don't blame him for being so upset. This asshole tricked a young kid. Wait, what's the minimum age someone can be to become a Trainer? I've heard it's thirteen, but it seems it got changed. Hopefully he's at least ten, as that was the minimum age for someone to become a Trainer in Sinnoh.

I put my hand on his shoulder and kneeled so I can look at him without keeping to have to look down at him. "Don't worry little dude, I'll get Eevee back for you," I told him. "I promise." The soothing tone in my voice seemed to have let him calm down a bit, knowing that his Pokémon is gonna get rescued by some random Trainer. But he's gonna have to know that I might have to battle his own Eevee to get it back. What the hell is that gadget is the Grunt wearing anyway? At this point, it doesn't matter. Time to punish this Grunt. "Starly, let's go!" I shouted as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out the tiny bird.

"This has to be a joke," The Grunt said, trying to taunt Starly and I again. He's not doing a good job at taunting. At all. Also, he didn't call back his Natu, so that's fine by me. Hopefully I can save Chimchar for if we have to battle Eevee.

"All right Starly, use Quick Attack!" I commanded.

Starly quickly flew at Natu at high speeds, giving it little time to dodge.

"Get a load of this!" The Grunt yelled. "Natu, use Aerial Ace!"

Natu did pretty much the same action, but landed its attack perfectly. Since it never misses, that's one move we gotta be careful about. And I gotta keep my eye on the Grunt himself, as he could try to steal my Starly along with the kid's Eevee as well.

"Now Starly, use Tackle!" I yelled.

"Use Peck!" The Grunt yelled.

Both our Pokémon collided at the same time, creating a pretty audible impact. You can tell both Pokémon took some decent damage from that collision. But both were going strong even after that. Good and bad for us.

"You doing alright Starly?" I asked.

Starly quickly turned back to me and nodded.

"Great!" I said. "Then use Wing Attack!"

Starly flew in once again, this time hitting Natu with both of its wings.

"Ngh! Come on Natu!" The Grunt shouted. "Get back up and use Psychic!" Psychic? So early? Why?

It seemed Natu wasn't able to use the attack its Trainer ordered, as it screamed in pain as it tried to do so. Are these people responsible for the incidents of Pokémon abuse that Dad and I have been hearing ever since we moved here?

"Come on Natu!" The Grunt shouted again. "Don't give me any of that bullshit! Use Psychic now!" Clearly he's trying to force Natu to use a move that it probably doesn't even know properly. It's suffering. I can tell. Now I got two Pokémon to rescue if that's the case.

Natu actually refused to use Psychic despite it being commanded to do so and went for Peck instead. Can't really blame it though if just trying to use it is making it feel pain. Regardless though, this Pokémon is part of the enemy, and we'll have to defeat it anyway. That sounded super obvious, but we'll go with it.

Natu seemed to have done some pretty good damage to Starly though. I should've checked my Pokédex before the battle to see what's the fourth move it knows, but I'll be fine. Wait, I remember now. Starly should also know Growl. How do I know? I searched the Starly line back when I first thought about becoming a Pokémon Trainer when we were still living in Sinnoh. "Starly, use Growl," I said, hoping my assumptions are correct.

Turns out they are, as Starly did unleash a rather loud growl, causing Natu to have its physical Attack stat dropped a bit. With that in place, Peck and Aerial Ace won't do as much damage to Starly. That's the theory at least.

"What are you even doing?!" The Grunt shouted angrily.

"Being strategic with my Pokémon!" I said. I've heard some of the best Pokémon Trainers out there don't have entire movesets dedicated to just attacking. Some say they're pointless, but I don't think so.

"Now you're just getting on my nerves!" The Grunt shouted. "Natu, if you're not going to use Psychic, then use Peck!"

Natu definitely felt more comfortable using a move like that then using a move that it barely knows, but I wasn't gonna let that get to the best of us.

"Dodge it!" I shouted to Starly.

Starly quickly flew high into the air, barely avoiding Natu's attack. A little too close for comfort might I add.

"After it!" The Grunt commanded. Ok, now he's begging for a dog fight. Or something like that.

Natu also flew high in the air, at the same height as Starly. Now they're looking face to face.

"Use Leer! Now!" The Grunt commanded. I knew Natu had an extra move along with Psychic, Peck, and Aerial Ace. Wait, now that I think about it, he complained that I'm being strategic with Starly. Yet his Natu has a stat-lowering move as well. What is with this guy?

Natu glanced at Starly with an intimidating look, causing it to have its physical Defense lowered a bit. Great. Now we're basically back to square one.

"Don't give up Starly!" I said. "Use Wing Attack!"

The tiny bird flew to the other tiny bird and hits it again with both wings, which seemed to do enough damage to send it crashing to the ground. But then I saw swirls around Natu's eyes, which seemed to indicate that it's unable to battle anymore.

"Ah shit!" The Grunt shouted as he put Natu back in its Poké Ball. "Then let's see how you can handle the friend you're trying to save!" He said as he threw the mysterious Poké Ball. Eevee was next. But this didn't look like the same Eevee.

When Eevee came out of its Poké Ball, it looked completely different. It's body was a pale white with black sparkles all around it. It looked awful. Both the kid and I stood there in shock at what we're looking at. Either that Poké Ball or the gadget he's wearing must've done something to Eevee when he caught it.

"What do you have to say to that?!" The Grunt asked. He was getting serious now; He knew what he was doing.

The kid slightly screamed at the sight of his Eevee. He was borderline disgusted, and I think he had the instinct to straight up punch the Grunt, but I didn't want anything to happen to him. It's bad enough he had his Pokémon stolen, and seeing him get hurt would only worsen the situation. That thought just scares me.

"What did you do to my Eevee?!" The kid screamed with tears flowing out of his eyes like a river.

"Oh don't worry kid," The Grunt said. "Your Eevee is just fine."

"It doesn't look fine at all," I said. "It looks like it's in pain! What did you even do to it?! I demand you to tell me!"

"All I did was make Eevee a Cosmic-Type Pokémon," The Grunt responded. "Anything else?"

"Cosmic Type?" I asked to myself. "Where have I heard that before?"

"It's a Type that we, Team Space, shall end the world with!" The Grunt shouted. "And you shall fear this mysterious Type! Eevee, Galacto Ball!"

Eevee began to form a very bright and colorful ball of energy, just like how it forms Shadow Ball. But if this is a Cosmic-Type move, then I gotta be careful. I never heard of this Type. I know of the other eighteen Types, but never knew about a nineteenth Type. Is it an actual, natural Type? Or is it something that Team Space came up with? I honestly don't know.

"Heh!" The Grunt scoffed. "I'll bet your Starly will be through after this one shot!" With a remark like that, are Normal Types like Starly weak to this Cosmic Type? Can't take any chances here.

Eevee finished charging the attack and fired it directly at Starly at blistering speeds. As the Grunt said, that did enough to take out Starly.

"Shit," I said under my breath, hoping that the kid wouldn't hear me. Thankfully, Starly did just fine for me, so I wasn't mad.

As soon as I put Starly back in its Poké Ball, I immediately threw Chimchar's Poké Ball, calling it out in the process. This is where it really counts. I have to win this so I can save Eevee. I can't imagine the torture it would be put through if I didn't.

"Quick Chimchar, use Scratch!" I yelled. The sooner we get this done with, the better. I hope.

Chimchar ran toward Eevee and scratches it pretty hard, making a little sound effect as the attack landed. Since my dad is also a Trainer (Albeit a much stronger one.), he's familiar with that sound, as that is the sound a critical hit makes when landed.

"Use Tackle!" The Grunt shouted.

Eevee proceeded to run at Chimchar to ram itself into the chimp Pokémon.

"Dodge it!" I yelled.

With plenty of room to spare, Chimchar straight up somersaulted over Eevee, landing on its hands before going back down to its feet.

"Now use Ember!" I commanded. It's pretty clear that Chimchar had put itself at the perfect spot to pull off a range move, and I wanna hopefully mix it up for coverage reasons. Plus I can always turn to Dad, Professor Fir, and Jill to do some training and hone my skills.

But my blabbering aside, Chimchar wasted no time and shot Ember at Eevee, causing a little flame to spark up from its back, possibly indicating that it just got burned. Me and my luck today, I swear.

"Ah son of a bitch!" The Grunt shouted in frustration. Seems the guy has an attitude problem or something like that. "Eevee, use Quick Attack! Now!" This guy has to be nuts, as Dad told me burns half the physical Attack of the one that is burned. That's gonna do nothing to Chimchar.

Eevee went ahead and rushed to hit Chimchar, doing less damage than it normal should've, like I thought.

"You doing alright Chimchar?" I asked. I know it's doing okay, but I'd rather check just to make sure. Even in the heat of battle, I'll be sure to check on my Pokémon.

Chimchar nodded back at me rather quickly, as I was expecting. I really do think we have this battle in the bag already.

"Great!" I yelled. Even though I was fighting a Pokémon criminal, this is my first battle against any sort of Pokémon Trainer, evil or not. So I was getting reasonably excited that I was gonna win my first battle against a Trainer. From a novice's standpoint, that's a reasonably large accomplishment. "Then let's use Flame Wheel and wrap this up!" That was kinda bald of me on that last part of my command. Usually with assumptions like that, I'm wrong pretty much all of the time, so hopefully that's not the case here.

Chimchar started to charge at Eevee to deliver the final blow, covering itself in swirling fire in the process, and crashed into the little fox. Eevee somehow got sent into the air after the impact, with sparkles flowing across its body, and its original self was showing through again. So looks like whatever happened, Eevee is back to normal. Though it wasn't easy. And we heard the Poké Ball the Grunt caught it in pop and shatter into pieces. That was odd. I never saw a Poké Ball do that after a battle.

"NO!" The Grunt yelled. "First you get in my way, and now you make me powerless?! How could you do this to me?!"

"Says the person who stole a kid's Pokémon, and has no shame in doing so," I shot back rather sassy.

"Why you?!" The Grunt said, very angrily. He was about to approach Eevee, but Chimchar leaped in between them, protecting the injured Pokémon from the Trainer that had just essentially tortured it.

The Grunt growled slightly, angry at the fact that he was forced to give in. "You got fucking lucky," He said. "Next time, you won't be so lucky!"

With that, he ran off. I didn't bother to give chase as I think he learned his lesson already. As much as I would've cheered for this victory, I had to make sure Eevee was okay. Those were quite the hard blows it took from Chimchar, so I wanna make sure it didn't get hurt too bad.

The kid beat me there and picked up Eevee. "Eevee?!" He asked his Pokémon. "Eevee, are you okay?! Wake up!" Eevee wasn't waking up… I doubt it got killed from that though. Our Pokémon are not super strong, as I just got them today. But I can't say the same about that Team Space Grunt.

I placed my hand on Eevee's back to feel its heart, and it's still beating. "It's okay," I said to the kid. "Worse case scenario, it's probably unconscious. But you got nothing to worry about now."

"I just wanna see Eevee's eyes again," The kid said with a worried tone. His worry is perfectly understandable though, so I came up with an idea that can hopefully ease his nerves a bit.

"How about we take it to the Pokémon Center just to be sure?" I asked him. He seemed to like that idea as he immediately looked up at me as I said that.

"Ok," He responded. As he was starting to head to the exit, Chimchar came back to me and climbed onto my shoulder before I caught to him.

About twenty minutes later, we were in and out of the Pokémon Center with a perfectly healthy Eevee once again. It didn't hurt to have my Pokémon checked up as well, as Starly did take a bigger beating than Chimchar.

"Thank you for helping me mister!" The kid told me. He was doing a lot better now that his Pokémon is safe and sound. I probably would've been the same if I'm being honest.

"Always happy to help!" I responded. I was glad that I got to help him. Because no one at my old school would believe me when I told them that I could help people when I become a Pokémon Trainer. I just proved them wrong. "What's your name by the way?"

"My name is Oliver!" The kid responded. Oliver? I like that name. Fits him well. Not trying to be judgemental or anything, 'cause I'm not.

"That's a fine name there!" I responded. "I'm Ian." I reached my fist to him to do a fist bump, as younger kids felt like a fist bump was cooler than a handshake. At least that's what the kids in my old neighborhood thought.

But that thought of mine didn't matter, as Oliver happily bumped his fist with mine. "So Ian, how old are you?" He asked. Quite the curious kid.

"Eighteen," I responded. "How about you?"

"I'm only ten," Oliver said. Knew it. "But my parents felt like it was time for me to be a Pokémon Trainer since now that I'm old enough!" I always thought thirteen was more reasonable for the minimum age to be a Trainer, but I guess it gained too much controversy or something. I don't know.

"Well that's great!" I responded. "But promise me one thing."

"Anything for you Ian!" He responded. Whoa. Am I gonna have a fanclub going forward? I kinda hope not, but we'll see.

"Just make sure the two of you be careful after what had happened?" I told him. "It pains me to see kids like you in serious trouble like that, and I don't wanna see anyone harmed. You're really lucky that I was there when the whole thing unfolded."

"I know," Oliver responded in a rather sorrow tone.

"I'm not saying that to hurt your feelings, but I'm just saying you have to be more careful," I added. "There are people like that Grunt out there that show no shame in doing stuff like that. Forces us to be aware of what we're doing everyday."

"Yeah, you're right," Oliver said. "I better get home before my parents worry about me."

"That's a good idea," I added. "Be careful on your way home."

"I will!" He responded. "Thanks!" And with that, he was off and running with his Eevee, heading home. I'm glad it ended happily like that.

As I turn around, I was closer to the end of town than I thought. We come by here pretty much every time we have to head out of town, but I've always seen another street between the gas station and what looks like a motor shop. So I decided to take a stroll down there and see what's over there.

After crossing the street, and turning the corner, I was onto the very street. "Silver Lane" the sign read. Doesn't look like much of a neighborhood I'll tell you. There were only like three or four actual houses, one more on the side of the motor shop, and a few auto businesses down this way. Another street branched onto Silver Lane, so I wanted to head there. Until something caught my eye.

As I was passing the driveway of the tan house, I saw a blonde-haired girl in a white skirt and white sneakers with her hair in a ponytail talking to a woman that looked very familiar to me. Is that who I think it is? It can't be.

"BB?" I said to myself. Apparently that was loud enough to get the woman's attention, and she looked right at me. Yes, it was who I was thinking it'd be.

"Ian?" The woman asked. "Is that you?"

Just like that, I ran onto the driveway to hug her. She had it coming as well, so she braced herself, and returned the hug.

"So your family did move here after all!" BB said to me.

"Well, we really didn't have a choice," I responded. "We had to find the middle ground between the news station Dad is working at and Mom's company, and we felt like Portland was the place to move to."

"You guys made a great choice," BB said.

"Um, miss Beth, who is this?" The girl asked. I completely missed the white Vulpix she was holding in her arms until it pretty much copied its Trainer's question.

"Oh, sorry about that Lillie," BB responded. Lillie was her name? She looks adorable though, just like her Vulpix. "This is Ian, my nephew."

"Oh my!" Lillie responded, in shock. "So this is Mike's cousin that you were mentioning?"

"You bet it is!" Beth responded. "Why don't you introduce yourself to her Ian?"

"BB, please don't embarrass me!" I said, blushing. "I can do it myself!"

"Can't you learn to have a sense of humor?" She asked jokingly. "In fact, it has been a few years since we've last seen each other."

"Yeah, it has been," I responded. "During the family reunion in Nimbasa City."

"I thought so!" Beth said. "So did you finally become a Pokémon Trainer?"

"Yeah I did!" I responded. "Today actually!"

"That's great!" Beth said. "Can we see who you chose?"

"Sure!" I said. "Chimchar, come out!" I shouted as I tossed Chimchar's Poké Ball.

Chimchar came out and landed right in front of me, letting BB and Lillie see it.

"A Chimchar!" Lillie said. "So cute!"

"I knew you'd choose that!" Beth said. "You've been saying that you wanted to set off with a Chimchar when you did become a Trainer."

Chimchar gave Beth a thumbs up then looked up at Lillie's Vulpix. Seems it wants to play with it.

"You want to play with Shiron, Chimchar?" Lillie asked. She seemed to know what Chimchar was thinking as well.

Chimchar nodded with a big smile on its face, desperate to meet its new friend.

"You two be careful," Lillie said before putting Vulpix on the ground. But didn't I hear Shiron come out of her mouth?

The two Pokémon nodded before taking off into the backyard.

"That's one cute Vulpix you got there," I said to Lillie.

Lillie giggled and blushed a little before turning to me. "Thanks," She responded. "My name is Lillie by the way."

"Nice to meet you Lillie," I responded. "I'm Ian, as you have heard already."

Lillie nodded then turned back to the Pokémon playing in the backyard. "Looks like they're having fun!" She said.

"For sure," Beth said.

"Oh, BB," I said. "Is UB home?"

"You just missed him," Beth responded. "He just left for work."

"Oh," I responded. "What about Mike?"

"He left a few days ago to start his second year of college in Boston," Beth responded.

"Really?" I asked. He's already in college?! Damn. It really has been awhile since I've seen him.

"I can call him so you can talk to him if you want to," Beth said, ready to take out her phone.

"Nah, I'll be fine," I quickly said.

"All right then," Beth responded.

"I just thought of an idea," Lillie suddenly said.

"What Lillie?" Beth asked.

"Ian, how about you and I have a quick battle?" She asked me. She really wants to battle me? I'm game.

"That sounds like fun," I said. "Where do you wanna battle?"

"We can battle in the backyard," Lillie responded. "There's plenty of space for it."

I grabbed a peak of the backyard, and there was plenty of space to have a battle. As long as our Pokémon are careful that is. That is before I saw a dirt battlefield in the backyard.

"You guys have your own battlefield?!" I asked, in shock.

"Yeah!" Lillie responded. "We had permission to make it last summer!"

"That's cool!" I said. "Consider me impressed!"

"Many people want to use it, even though the town battlefield is better than ours," Beth said. "And we require people to ask permission to use it before they can have their battle. Otherwise, they'll have to go to the town battlefield. Been there yet Ian?"

"I was just there actually," I responded.

"That's nice," Lillie responded. "So, ready to start?"

"Yeah!" I responded.

A few minutes later, we were ready to have our battle. We agreed to have this as a one-on-one battle, as Lillie had more Pokémon than I had. Even though we could've easily had this as two-on-two, there was nothing wrong with one-on-one.

"Ready Shiron?!" Lillie asked her Vulpix.

"Kon!" Shiron responded. Why did it say that instead of what I heard with Sunsil? I'll have to ask Lillie after we're done.

"So she's going with Vulpix," I said to myself. Hopefully it doesn't have Flash Fire for its Ability if I went with Chimchar, but I do have Dig to back me up. "Chimchar, how about you give it a go?" I asked it, still on my shoulder.

Chimchar nodded before jumping off of my shoulder and onto the battlefield.

"Ready?" Beth asked both of us. "Then let the battle begin!"

"All right Ian, you can have the first move!" Lillie told me. I was gonna let her go first, but she beat me to it.

"Fair enough," I responded. "Chimchar, use Scratch!"

Chimchar rushed toward Shiron to scratch it.

"Dodge it!" Lillie yelled. "And use Powder Snow!"

Shiron rushed to the side, narrowly avoiding Chimchar, and blows Powder Snow at it. So this Vulpix is an Ice Type? Why would Lillie use an Ice Type against a Fire Type? Then again, Starly would be weak against Shiron. So I made the right call in the long run.

"Keep an eye on Chimchar!" I said. "Use Ember!"

Wasting no time, Chimchar quickly turned to Shiron and shot Ember at it, dealing massive damage.

"Quick Shiron, use Hail!" Lillie commanded.

After getting up, Shiron managed to summon a hailstorm. Oh great. Now whatever moves it also has gets a slight buff. From what I've heard.

"Let's not let the hail slow us down Chimchar!" I shouted. "Use Flame Wheel!"

Chimchar covered itself in flames and charged at Shiron, but wasn't able to hit it.

"What?!" I said in shock. "How?!"

"It's all thanks to Shiron's Ability: Snow Cloak," Lillie said. "When a hailstorm is happening in battle, Shiron's evasion increases, making it more likely to be able to avoid attacks."

"Oh that's lovely," I remarked. "Chimchar, keep your eyes peeled good. We can't lose track of Shiron."

Chimchar looked back at me and nodded, agreeing with the plan, though it wasn't much of one.

"Then let's use Flame Wheel again!" I shouted.

Chimchar quickly covered itself in flames once again, and charged at Shiron. This time, the attack lands. And pretty hard, too.

"You okay Shiron?" Lillie asked.

Shiron quickly got up and nodded at Lillie. That thing can sure hold its own. I'm impressed. Again.

"Then use Aurora Veil!" Lillie called out.

Shiron then surrounded itself in a pretty aurora. While Shiron was using its move, Chimchar took damage from being buffeted by the hail.

"Aurora Veil?" I asked myself. "Never heard of it."

"That move halves the damage Shiron would take from physical and special attacks for a little bit," Lillie explained. So that's what Aurora Veil does. She's good all right. Very good.

"Fascinating," I simply responded. "Chimchar, use Dig!" I shouted.

Chimchar quickly dug itself a hole and started to travel through that hole, getting itself under Shiron. In the blink of an eye, Chimchar resurfaced, and hits Shiron. While it was nice that we landed Dig for the first time, we still have to worry about the hail.

"You two are pretty good for beginners!" Lillie told us.

"You're not so bad yourself Lillie!" I responded. I'll be honest, Lillie is providing more of a challenge to us than that Team Space Grunt we battled not too long ago. I'm enjoying this.

"Thank you!" Lillie said. "All right Shiron, use Icy Wind!"

Shiron proceeded to blow extremely cold winds at Chimchar. That move lowers the target's Speed if I'm not mistaken.

"Dodge it!" I quickly shouted.

Chimchar managed to jump over the Icy Wind and stick the landing without even touching the attack. So Shiron has Icy Wind as well? Lillie really has raised it well. It's quite the skilled battler.

"Now use Flame Wheel!" I called out.

Chimchar once again charged at Shiron while covered in flames, hitting it yet again. Then it got buffeted by the hail.

"Don't give up Shiron!" Lillie said. "Use Icy Wind again!"

Shiron blew Icy Wind at Chimchar again, this time managing to land it, and lowering Chimchar's Speed.

"You okay Chimchar?" I asked.

Chimchar turned back to me and nodded. I think we slightly underestimated Shiron despite us having the advantage.

"Great!" I said. "Then use Ember!"

In hopes of finishing the battle, Chimchar shot Ember right at Shiron. Did it finish it? Turns out, it didn't.

Lucky for us, the hail had stopped. But the battle was so close to the end, Lillie seemed to know it'd be pointless to set it up again.

"Keep it up Shiron!" Lillie shouted. "You're doing great! Use Powder Snow!"

Without the hail, Ice-Type moves don't hit as hard on Chimchar, but Shiron still blew Powder Snow at Chimchar.

"Hang in there Chimchar!" I said. "Use Ember one more time!"

Chimchar managed to shoot one more Ember at Shiron, delivering the final blow, and knocks out Shiron.

"Shiron is unable to battle!" Beth shouted. "Chimchar wins! So the winner is Ian!"

"Nice!" I shouted then started to run to Chimchar. "Great job Chimchar!"

"Thank you Shiron," Lillie told her Vulpix as she picked it up. "Great battle Ian!"

"Likewise Lillie!" I responded. "Shiron did great!"

"Thanks!" She said. "Chimchar was fun to battle against as well!"

"Thanks for that!" I said. "Oh, Lillie. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," She responded.

"Why is Shiron white?" I asked. "And why is it an Ice Type?"

"That's because Shiron is an Alolan Vulpix," Lillie told me.

"Alolan Vulpix?" I asked.

"Right," She responded. "It's called a Regional Variant. Meaning that certain Pokémon will look different in certain regions than how they are in other regions."

"Ah," I responded. "I get it. So you got Shiron in Alola?"

"Yes," She said. "I've had it since it hatched from an Egg. Back when I was in Alola's Pokémon School. It was quite the thrill ride for me." She blushed at that last part.

"What do you mean with that last part?" I asked out of curiosity.

"I can explain at another time," Lillie quickly told me. "I have to meet some friends up at the high school."

"Kon! Kon! Kon!" Shiron kept saying happily as it looked at Lillie then looked at me.

"What is it Shiron?" Lillie asked.

"Kon!" Shiron said again, pointing at me.

"Do you want Ian to join us?" Lillie then asked.

Shiron looked up at Lillie and nodded, wagging its tail. That thing is so cute! Are Sunsil and Shiron working together to kill me of cuteness today or something?!

"Well, let's see what Ian wants to do," Lillie said. "Want to join us Ian? Shiron really wants you to come."

"How can I say no to an adorable Pokémon like Shiron?!" I said. "Of course I'll come!"

That left a lasting impression on Shiron, as it jumped out of Lillie's arms and into mine. Then it started licking my cheek! This thing loves me already! I wanted to pet it, and I got the chance to do so!

Lillie chuckled at both of us getting along. "Well I guess we'll get going then," She said.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yeah," Lillie responded. "I have some friends waiting up there for me. I told them I'd be stopping here before I got there."

"I get it," I responded, still petting Shiron.

"I hope they won't get mad at me," She said to herself.

"Don't worry about it Lillie," Beth said. "They'll understand."

"Yeah, you're right," Lillie responded. "Then, Snowflake let's go!" She said as she tossed a Poké Ball.

Out came sparkling a horse Pokémon with gray flames making up its mane. That Pokémon looks similar to the one I was riding in my dream last night…

"Whoa!" I shouted in surprise.

"Ian, I want you to meet Snowflake, my Shiny Rapidash," Lillie said. So that's the Pokémon's name. Rapidash.

"That looks awesome!" I said as I went to reach my hand out to pet Snowflake.

"Be careful," Lillie said, stopping me. "Snowflake has to know you before you pet it. Otherwise, it'll burn you."

"Wait, Rapidash can control its flames?" I asked.

"Yeah," Lillie said. "Ponyta and Rapidash don't burn anyone that they really trust, no matter how they're being touched."

"Oh that's cool," I responded.

"I recommend putting your hand near Snowflake's arm so that she can sniff you," Lillie said. "Then how about you tell Snowflake about him Shiron?"

"Kon!" Shiron said, agreeing with Lillie's plan.

"Sounds simple," I responded.

As soon as I slowly put my hand near Snowflake's nose (In order to avoid accidentally hitting it, and spooking it.), it started to sniff my hand, and Shiron started talking to Snowflake. Seems it got through to Snowflake, as it rubbed its head on me. Didn't Lillie say that Snowflake is a female? Better acknowledge it like that from now on.

"Oh no!" Lillie suddenly shouted. "I forgot the reins and the saddle for Snowflake! I'll be right back!" Little did I know that she was BB's next-door neighbor.

She came back a minute later, and spent another minute putting the equipment on Snowflake. "There," She said. "That should do it. Wanna hop on first?"

"Uh, I've never ridden a Rapidash before," I nervously said.

"That's okay," Lillie said, understanding my problem. "We'll take it slow so you can be comfortable. Maybe I can ask Katie or Sara to teach you how to ride one on your own." Katie? Who's Katie? And is it the Sara that I'm thinking of? The one I met a few days after moving here?

"That can work," I responded.

"Do you at least know how to get on one safely?" Lillie asked me.

"That I don't know either," I responded.

Snowflake seemed to have heard me, as it immediately sat down for us.

"Wait, why is Snowflake sitting down?" I asked.

"It's so that we can get on easily," Lillie said. "She does that for me whenever we just got for a stroll, and when I'm not in my riding clothes."

"Ah," I said.

"So, ready to go?" She asked.

"Yeah," I responded.

We walked over to Snowflake and got on, then she stood back up. It felt pretty freaking weird at first, and I wrapped my arms around Lillie without even thinking.

"It's okay!" Lillie said. "There's nothing to be scared about."

"Phew," I let out a sigh of relief. But I didn't know I still had my arms around her, and I blushed a bright red. "Sorry!" I said as I released my arms.

Lillie simply giggled at me. "It's okay," She responded. "You can keep your arms around me if that makes you comfortable. Shiron, you ready?"

"Kon!" Shiron said and it went in front of Lillie.

"Let's take it slow Snowflake, alright?" Lillie asked.

Snowflake nodded at Lillie, and let out a whinnie before she started walking out of the yard.

"Have fun you two!" Beth said as she watched us riding off.

We got to the high school about twenty minutes later, but we didn't stop at the entrance. We continued to ride to the back of the property, onto the track and field. There were quite a few people waiting for us there. I think I see some people that I recognize.

"There you are Lillie!" One girl with brown short hair called out.

"Sorry we're late!" Lillie said as she was getting off Snowflake once she came to a stop. "Brought an extra person along!"

"Ian?" The girl asked me.

"Sara? Hannah?" I asked. "What brings you two here?"

"Same goes from us to you," Hannah said.

"Well, I was sorta invited to come," I responded.

"Gotcha," Sara responded.

"Oh, you three know each other already?" Lillie asked us.

"Yeah," I said. "We met a few days after I moved here."

"I see," Lillie responded.

"Need help getting down?" Another girl, this one with long brown hair and looked my height, asked me as she was walking toward Snowflake.

"Yeah," I responded. "I don't wanna do anything that would hurt Snowflake."

"I applaud you for being careful with the Pokémon," The girl told me. "Here, take my hand," She said as she reached my hand toward me.

"Ok," I said as I took her hand. "So, how do I do this?"

"Why don't you get your other leg on the same side as your left and slide down? I'm sure Snowflake won't mind," The girl told me.

I nodded and did exactly what she told me, getting off of Snowflake with ease. "That was a lot easier than I thought," I said.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" She asked.

"No, it really wasn't," I responded. "But it was my first time riding a Rapidash…"

"Ah, ok," The girl said. "Don't worry, Sara and I can teach you how to ride one if you want."

"I might take you up on that," I responded. "Thanks."

"I'm Katie, by the way," The girl also said. So this was the girl Lillie was mentioning earlier. I get it now.

"I'm Ian," I responded. "Looks like we got quite the crowd here."

"Sure do," Katie responded. "I think you haven't met Ash and Dawn yet though."

"No I haven't," I said. "Though I'm sure I've heard of Ash. I was there when he was in the Sinnoh League."

"Wow Ash, looks like your fame is finally catching up to you!" Dawn told him.

"Don't start on me," Ash snapped. His Pikachu backed up his response, which I did find cute and funny at the same time. "Anyway, I'm Ash."

"And I'm Dawn," Dawn said.

"I knew you looked familiar as well," I said to Dawn. "My family saw you compete at the Grand Festival at the Valor Lakefront."

"Wow, I'm one to talk," Dawn said, blushing. Ash and I couldn't help but chuckle at Dawn's reaction.

"So Lillie, who won the battle?" Katie asked Lillie.

"Ian did actually," Lillie responded. "He's already pretty good. He actually just became a Trainer today!"

"Oh wow!" Katie said. "Good job!"

"Thanks," I said. "My Pokémon had just won another battle prior to us battling Lillie at my aunt's house."

"Your aunt?" Katie then asked.

"Yeah," I responded. "My aunt Beth."

"Beth Anderson?"

"Yeah."

"So that could mean you're Mike's cousin?"

"Indeed I am!"

"I thought so! If only he was home to see this..."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. I was told he had just left for college not too long ago."

"Yea," Sara said. "We had another send off party before he left for Boston."

"And we concluded with a few battles," Hannah added.

"That must've been fun," I said.

"It sure was!" Ash said. "Getting to battle a Champion was really something else! Even though I've battled more than one Champion…"

"Ah," I said.

"By the way Ian, who was the Trainer you battled before you went to Mike's house?" Dawn asked.

"It was some weird dude from an organization called Team Space," I said.

"Team what?" Katie asked with a serious tone.

"Team Space," I repeated and sweatdropped.

"So they're back at it," Katie said.

"Aren't those the guys that were causing havoc all over the place back in the Spring?" Sara asked.

"Yeah," Katie said.

"Seems you know a thing or two about them," I said.

"Mike came across a few Grunts during his Spring Break," Katie said. "And he managed to get one of them to spill the beans. But what happened with your encounter?"

"So my newest friend Jill and I were gonna have a battle at the town battlefield, but there was a battle already going on, so we decided to wait for our turn," I started. "After Jill left with her boyfriend, I was watching, and the Grunt somehow managed to steal his opponent's Pokémon! When he sent it back out, the Eevee he stole didn't look the same, so I had to battle it to get it back!"

"I see," Katie said. "Did you get a glimpse of what the Grunt used to make that happen?"

"I saw some weird gadget on his left arm," I continued. "And he tapped an unusual Poké Ball on it before he threw it."

"That's all I need to know," Katie said.

"Is it what we're thinking, too?" Hannah asked.

"No doubt about it," Katie said. "They managed to get their Poké Ball modification experiment completed."

"Modification?" I asked.

"It's a process that was originally adapted by Team Frost three years ago," Katie said. "Seems a few former Grunts managed to get their hands on the original plans and tweaked it for Team Space."

"The way Team Frost did it was fucking brutal," Sara said. "They did so many Pokémon I wanted to cry for them."

"Jeez," I said. "This Team Space couldn't be some sort of successor, could it?"

"I doubt it," Katie said. "Their leader, aka your uncle, redeemed himself shortly after he was defeated, and completely disbanded the team. No one has heard about Team Frost-related incidents ever again."

We were completely engaged in this conversation for a few more minutes, until Katie decided to change the subject since she said this was the last meetup before everyone else went back to school.

"Hey Sara, how about we have a quick battle?" Katie asked Sara. "You know, for old-time sake? Back when our rivalry was greater when we were still high school students?"

"Aw yeah!" Sara said. "Battle time!"

I almost got worried that we all had to trek down to the town battlefield, but there was plenty of space here on the field to have a battle. We all cleared the way for Katie and Sara so they can have their battle.

"Just being here brings me back," Katie said. "Back when Mike and I became Pokémon Trainers, and still very new to the area. Now let's see if you still hold up!"

"I'm ready if you are!" Sara shouted. "Zoroark, here we go!" She shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came a pretty large black and red fox Pokémon with a teal ponytail near the bottom. It looked so badass!

"Had a feeling you'd go with Zoroark!" Katie said.

"Zoroark is my baby!" Sara said, defending her and her Pokémon. "Never underestimate my baby!"

"I'm just kidding with you!" Katie said. "All right Mimikyu, let's go!" She shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came a rather unusual Pokémon. I thought it was another Pikachu, but it was just a cloth, and it had tiny eyes peeking through the cloth. That's gotta be Mimikyu's actual body. Also, I saw Mimikyu shining as it came out of its Poké Ball, so it's a Shiny Mimikyu? Neat.

"Ok Sara!" Katie said. "We'll make this one-on-one. You got the first move!"

"I feel so special," Sara said. "Zoroark, use Flamethrower!"

With a bang, Zoroark fired a massive Flamethrower out of its mouth at Mimikyu. While it looked like it dealt massive damage, Mimikyu is unharmed! Rather, the top of its cloth tumbled over. It looked creepy if you thought it was a Pikachu for a second.

"Not a bad start you two!" Someone said. I didn't hear Katie or Sara say that. Where did that voice come from?

"Thanks for the compliment Mimikyu!" Sara responded. Wait, Mimikyu can talk?! Damn! That just sent a chill up my spine! "Now Zoroark, Shadow Ball!"

In a heartbeat, Zoroark created a really dark ball of energy and shot it at Mimikyu, doing some pretty good damage this time.

"Now Mimikyu, use Play Rough!" Katie commanded.

Mimikyu wasted no time and rushed at Zoroark, hitting every which way, and doing some massive damage. The battle had just started, and I'm already enjoying it!

"Not bad at all!" Sara said. "Use Dark Pulse!"

Zoroark then fired a black beam that looked like a chain link at Mimikyu, doing some decent damage. Both Pokémon are already well into it, I can tell. Sure this wasn't any sort of Gym Battle or anything, but it didn't matter. Just seeing two powerful Pokémon battle right in front of my eyes, and in person, is just jaw-dropping to me. Granted I saw similar battles when I watched Ash compete in the Sinnoh League, but that was when I was like eight years old. Same goes for Dawn and her Pokémon.

"You doing okay Mimikyu?" Katie asked.

"Yeah yeah, don't worry," Mimikyu said. "I'm fine."

"Great!" Katie shouted. "Then use Shadow Ball!"

Mimikyu fired the same attack Zoroark used not too long ago, but it didn't do as much damage as when Zoroark used it. Seems Zoroark is a Dark Type and Mimikyu seems to be a Ghost Type. I'll ask them after.

"You okay Zoroark?" Sara asked.

The giant black fox looked back at Sara and nodded while smiling at her. Those two seem to have a powerful bond. Same goes for Katie and Mimikyu.

"Nice!" Sara said. "Then use Night Daze!"

"Quick, use Shadow Sneak!" Katie quickly commanded.

Before Zoroark could even attack, Mimikyu quickly disappeared into the ground and resurfaced then attacked under Zoroark.

That didn't stop Zoroark though, as it let out a crazy-looking pitch-black shock wave at Mimikyu. That's gotta leave a mark…

"I think both of us are still in rhythm even though it's been a long time since we've battled!" Katie said.

"I agree!" Sara said. "But let's wrap this up!"

Zoroark, Katie, and Mimikyu all nodded at Sara's comment.

But Sara had another trick up her sleeve, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, creating a light to emerge from her left wrist. Then she bent down, with her arms arranged in a weird way. As she was coming back up, she was wiggling her upper body, and even bent back a bit before completing whatever the hell this is with her arms in front of her, above her shoulders. After she had done that, an even larger burst of light which looked like energy appeared, covering her entire body. Then it transferred to Zoroark.

"GO ZOROARK!" Sara shouted.

Then the light that was surrounding Zoroark just started to disappear before a symbol appeared, then quickly disappeared. What is this that she is doing? My thoughts were interrupted as Zoroark let out a loud scream. But it didn't seem to be in pain.

"Let out bonds turn into all the power!" Sara shouted. "Black Hole Eclipse!" Is this some sort of attack? I'm confused.

Not a moment too soon, my questions were answered. Zoroark had a black ball of energy forming in its arms, and shot it above Mimikyu, sucking it in, then shooting it back out! When Mimikyu got ejected, it looked like it was unable to battle, meaning Sara had won.

"Yay! We won!" Sara shouted as she was running to Zoroark, embracing it into a tight hug. "That was awesome Zoroark! You were great!"

"Oh well," Katie said as she was picking up Mimikyu, and walked to Sara and Zoroark. "Not like you were battling me for my title anyway."

"Not yet," Sara responded. "Besides, I still needed to get back to you for defeating us during the Showdown so that we can be even. Good job Mimikyu!"

"Thanks Sara," Mimikyu said. "Good battle Zoroark!"

I could've sworn I saw Zoroark and Mimikyu high five each other.

"Quite the heated battle you two!" I told both of them. "That was pretty intense!"

"Couldn't agree more," Katie responded.

"Yep!" Sara agreed.

"By the way Sara, what was that you did to finish Mimikyu?" I asked. I really didn't know what she did, and I've known her and Hannah the longest since I've moved here.

"That was a Z-Move," Sara said.

"A Z-Move?" I asked.

"Yep," She responded.

"They're super powerful attacks formed by the bonds of Trainers and Pokémon," Katie explained. "They are activated with the Z-Ring and Z-Power Ring, which are what Sara and I are wearing right now," She said as she and Sara showed me their Z-Power Rings.

"They can only be used in battle once though, so you have to be very careful on when you're gonna use it," Sara added.

"Interesting," I responded. "Do you think I'm able to use them at my current state?"

"Only if you took on the Gym Challenge," Someone said as she was walking up to us. "Katie! Sara! It's been awhile!"

"Mrs. Laverty!" Katie and Sara shouted.

"It has been a long time!" Katie said.

"That was a great battle you two! Still got it, even after you two graduated!"

"Of course," Sara responded. "There was no way we were gonna stop after high school. Even if we had achieved our goals when Katie was a Senior."

"With you on that one," Katie said as she and Sara fist-bumped.

"So who's this new friend you found? Mrs. Laverty asked.

"I'm Ian," I responded.

"Nice to meet you Ian!" Mrs. Laverty responded. "You can call me Mrs. Laverty."

"So, what was this 'Gym Challenge' you just mentioned?" I asked.

"It's pretty simple," Mrs. Laverty said.

"You simply travel around the state, battling eight Gym Leaders to collect their badges, and be able to compete in the Pokémon League," Katie added. "You can collect the Z-Crystals along the way as well."

"Oh," I said.

"Do you have any ideas of what you want to do as a Trainer Ian?" Mrs. Laverty asked me.

"I'm not 100% sure," I responded. "All I wanna do is to become as strong as I can. Plus I just became a Pokémon Trainer today."

"I see," Mrs. Laverty said. "If that's your goal, then why don't you try to take on the Gyms? It's a good way for you to get stronger."

"I'll definitely look into that," I said.

"Definitely think about it," Mrs. Laverty said. "Also, if you are going to, then I'm your first stop."

"Really?" Katie and I asked.

"I remember Coach was the Gym Leader," Katie said. "You took his spot?"

"Yes," Mrs. Laverty responded. "His schedule was overflowing since he teaches most of the gym classes. So I was asked to take his place while he continues to teach."

"But what about your classes?" Katie asked.

"Don't worry!" Mrs. Laverty said. "I got everything under control! So Ian, whenever you're ready to challenge me, just feel free to ask. I specialize in the Normal Type just so you know."

"Got it," I said.

"Well guys, I'd love to talk, but I gotta go," Mrs. Laverty said. "Great seeing you all!" She said as she was walking away.

"Gym Challenge, huh?" I asked myself. "That might be my solution to getting strong."

"Go for it," Katie said. "Mike did it when he was in your shoes. We can all help you along the way. Just ask if you need us."

"I'll take you up on that," I said. "Thanks." I can't wait to tell Dad about this.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It has been about a week since I've become a Trainer, and today was the first day of school for me. I did manage to tell Dad and Jill about my plans to take on the Gym Challenge, and both of them liked the idea. Dad even agreed to help me train for any upcoming Gym Battles. But the only thing I had to do before I could even challenge Mrs. Laverty was to register for the Pokémon League. I'll do that once I get into the swing of things here though. Besides, I still need to know where the hell I'm going in this school after all!

Dad had to get to work early in the morning, which actually kinda works since school starts so goddamn early! And I thought Sunyshore High started early; This was worse! Anyway, the sidewalk leading up to each school was flooded with students of all available grades here. But I managed to make my way through that mess and get into the high school, and I felt something very different the second I walked through the door; Wasn't even passed the entrance mat yet. It wasn't a good feeling at all. My body felt a little shaky after realizing what is happening. Those memories of Sunyshore High are already rushing back into me.

Timing couldn't have been better though, as I saw Jill right in front of me. "There you are!" She told me. "You made it!" But her bright mood didn't last as she saw the worry in me. "Huh? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

I legit felt scared to continue even further. Too scared to even make my words come out of my mouth.

"Ian?" Jill asked. "Is something wrong?"

I tried to take a step, but almost fell to my knees. Out of nowhere I started sweating out of control, and I was panting very heavily.

"You're not getting sick are you?" Jill asked, getting noticeably worried. "I can take you to the nurse if you need me to."

"I-I'll be fine," I stuttered.

"You sure?" Jill asked again. "You don't seem fine." Very cautiously, she put a hand on my forehead. "You don't seem to be running a fever. Do you feel okay?"

I'm getting way too worked up about the past. It's a new school, and it's the first day; A lot can change. I gave myself a good o'le slap on the cheeks, and I felt a bit better. "Sorry I worried you Jill," I said. "I'm fine now."

"What was happening to you just now?" She asked. "You looked like you were gonna either get sick or go into panic."

"It's a long story Jill," I responded. "Now is not a good time to explain."

"Ok," Jill said. "If you wanna talk about it, just let me know. Anyway, who do you have for your mentor?"

"Mentor?" I asked.

"Yeah," She said. "Every year we start with our mentor period on the first day. Did you check who you have?"

"No," I said. "I don't even know where to check!"

"That's easy!" Jill said as she grabbed my hand. "Come on!" She said as she was dragging me to the main office window. It had lists of all the students and who their mentor was. Since my last name was Marcus, I had to look for the other students whose last name starts with "M" as well. But I can't tell who is a Senior or not. That didn't matter, as I found my name with no problem. Well, what do you know? I have Mrs. Laverty.

"That's convenient," I said. "Who's yours?"

"I got Professor Kukui," Jill responded. "Want me to walk you to Mrs. Laverty's room?"

"Sure," I said. "If you don't mind?" I slightly blushed.

"I don't mind at all!" Jill happily responded. "I love helping friends in need!" That, alone, helped me feel better. Seriously.

"Thanks," I said.

The Mentor Period wasn't as painful as I was expecting it. Same goes for my first class, which was Pokémon History. Jill and I are in the same class, coincidentally enough. As expected, Jill was the only person I was able to recognize, but I'll be able to get to know the rest of the Seniors as the year goes on.

Jill had a plan to ease my nerves even further: Have a battle with me after school. That sure sounds like fun. But where in the world are we gonna have our battle? Jill did tell me that we can battle in the gym with Coach K's permission though. Of course, we had to let our parents know about our plans. Dad was very understanding of why Jill wanted to have a battle with me, while Jill had to do some explaining with her parents, but was okay with the plan afterward.

We decided to meet up at the cafeteria after school so we can go have our battle.

"So, we still gonna go to the gym?" I asked Jill.

"Yeah," Jill responded. "I talked to Coach after I had his class. He was cool with it. He only asked us to make sure that we don't wreck the place."

I chuckled at that last part. "Like we're gonna intentionally damage the gym," I joked.

"I know, right?" Jill said.

The gym is pretty large, just like how Sunyshore High's was. But I've been here already since I'm taking Coach's Gym Class this year as well for both semesters. Though Jill and I are not in the same class unfortunately, but we have lunch together. So it works out very well actually.

"By the way, how are we gonna do this battle?" I then asked.

"I was thinking a two-on-two," Jill responded. "You and I have two Pokémon each, so why only let one have all the fun?"

"True," I said.

"I'll head to the back," Jill said. "You can be on this side," She said as she was walking to the back. Finally, we're having our long overdue battle that we were supposed to have last week. I'm very excited if you couldn't tell. "So, you ready?" She asked.

"Oh yeah!" I responded. "Let's get this started!"

"That we shall!" Jill said. "Sunsil, come on out!" She then shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came the adorable fox Pokémon that I love so much. But it's not here for cuddles; It's here for battle. I have a feeling this'll be tough for me. But I just noticed that the gym got extra bright after Sunsil came out. Why is that?

"Since when did it get super bright in here?" I asked.

"That's Sunsil's Ability: Drought," Jill responded. "When a Pokémon with Drought enters the battlefield, it automatically causes the Sunny weather condition."

"Oh," I responded. "Ok then. Well, Starly, here we go!" I then shouted as I threw my Poké Ball.

Then out came the tiny bird Pokémon, also ready for battle.

"Ok Jill, you can have the first move," I said.

"That's so sweet of you!" Jill said. "All right Sunsil, use Ember!"

The little greenish-yellow fox shot embers right out of its mouth, aiming them at Starly, and managing to get the first hit.

"Now Starly, use Wing Attack!" I called.

Starly flew in for the attack, hitting Sunsil a few times with its wings and flying away for safety.

"Not a bad start!" Jill said.

"Likewise!" I responded. "All right Starly, use Tackle!"

"Sunsil, Quick Attack!" Jill commanded.

Sunsil sprinted toward Starly as fast as it could, managing to hit Starly.

But Starly didn't get stopped from that, as it was still able to use Tackle on Sunsil.

"Now use Baby-Doll Eyes!" Jill called.

Sunsil proceeded to make possibly the cutest eyes I've ever seen. I swear I felt one of my eyes watering it was so adorable. But that wasn't used just for looks, as it managed to lower Starly's physical Attack a bit. I doubt Sunsil has a super powerful move that we have to be worried about, but Ember still has a chance of burn, and it gets a boost thanks to the Sunny conditions.

"Don't let it get to you Starly!" I shouted. "Even though it is adorable…"

I'm pretty sure Sunsil heard that as it squeaked after I said my comment.

"You really love Sunsil, don't you Ian?" Jill asked.

"I just can't help myself!" I quickly responded.

Jill chuckled at my response. "You sure have a soft spot for cute Pokémon," She said.

"Maybe I do," I said.

"I don't blame you though," She said. "But that's another discussion for another time! Sunsil, use Ember!"

"Dodge it!" I shouted. "And use Quick Attack!"

Sunsil quickly shot another Ember toward Starly.

Wasting no time, Starly quickly flew at Sunsil before it gets a chance to use Ember. Starly then quickly flew high, getting very close to the ceiling, and avoiding Sunsil's attack. Sunsil knows it can't attack that far, and would cause damage to the ceiling if it did. I want to take advantage of the ceiling design for some maneuvers, but that would be tricky.

"You alright Sunsil?"

"Vul!" Sunsil cried out with determination.

"Your Starly is better than I was expecting Ian!" Jill complimented.

"Thanks for that," I responded. "Starly, use Wing Attack!"

Starly quickly flew close to Sunsil, managing to hit it with both of its wings.

"Hang in there Sunsil!" Jill shouted. "Use Heat Wave!"

Out of nowhere, Sunsil blew extremely hot breath that looked the size of a Flamethrower at Starly, managing to knock it out. How the hell can a Vulpix learn a move like that so early?! And just when I thought we had it cornered!

"Ack! Starly!" I shouted then sighed. "Oh well. Thanks Starly. You were great," I then said while I was putting Starly back in its Poké Ball. "That Heat Wave caught me by surprise. How did Sunsil learn that?"

"Sunsil knew that since it hatched," Jill responded. "It's what we can an Egg Move."

"Oh," I said. "I get it. Well then, it's up to you Chimchar!" I shouted as I threw my Poké Ball.

Chimchar came out with a determined look on its face already. Since now that I was using a Fire Type, I can take advantage of the Sunny condition as well. But I don't know how much longer it's gonna last, so if we can end it quick, that would be nice.

"Fire Type verses Fire Type!" Jill said. "This'll be exciting!"

"You said it, not me!" I said. "Chimchar, use Scratch!"

"Use Quick Attack!" Jill shouted.

Chimchar proceeded to run toward Sunsil to scratch it, but got hit by Sunsil first thanks to its Quick Attack. Thankfully, Sunsil was close enough for Chimchar to still attack it. Just as both Pokémon were backing away from each other, the sunlight from Drought seemed to have ended.

"Aw man," Jill said. "I was hoping it'd last a little longer."

"It was in effect for quite a while," I responded. "Besides, we have our Fire Types Pokémon going against each other at the moment."

"What's your point?" Jill asked.

"Even with that included boost, I doubt it'll do massive damage as we saw earlier," I responded.

"True," Jill said. "Then use Ember!"

Sunsil proceeded to shoot Ember at Chimchar, but I had a little plan up my sleeve.

"Dodge it with Dig!" I commanded. "Then let 'em have it!"

Chimchar followed my plan, and dug a tunnel to avoid Sunsil's Ember, then dug its way under Sunsil to hit it hard.

"Oh no Sunsil!" Jill shouted. "Are you okay?!"

Sunsil turned back to Jill and nodded after getting back up.

"That's good," She said. "Then use Heat Wave!"

Sunsil then fired Heat Wave at Chimchar, doing a decent amount of damage considering the move is not very effective.

"Don't give up Chimchar!" I said. "Use Flame Wheel!

Chimchar covered itself up in flames and charged at Sunsil, landing a critical hit, and knocks it out. I kinda felt bad doing that, even if it's totally normal.

"Sunsi!" Jill shouted as she was running to the hurt Vulpix. "You okay?"

Sunsil seemed to be doing just fine as it booped Jill's nose then licked her cheek. Even after getting defeated in battle, it's still adorable! Ugh! That's too cute!

"Hey, that tickles!" Jill said, laughing as Sunsil was licking her. "Don't worry, we'll play later. But right now, we have a battle to finish. Plus you need to rest for a while."

Sunsil had a worried, almost sad look on its face. I wanna cuddle it so bad! It pains me to see it sad!

"Aww," Jill cried. "I got an idea: Wanna play with Ian later as well?"

"VUL!" Sunsil said very happily, jumping for joy.

Jill giggled at Sunsil's response. "Thought so!" She said. "All right, take a good rest for now," She then said as she put Sunsil back in its Poké Ball.

"That thing just melts my heart!" I said. "It's so adorable!"

"It sure is," Jill responded. "I'll let you play with it after we're done."

"Sweet!" I said. Even though we're next-door neighbors, we were only able to hang out once since both of us have been super busy. So I was only able to play with Sunsil that one time.

"Now then Chikorita, let's have some fun!" Jill shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came the pear-looking Pokémon with the tiny leaf on top of its head. Just like Sunsil, it may be cute, but it's not out to play. Though Chikorita seems a bit worried, most likely because it's battling a Fire Type. However, I haven't seen Chikorita battle yet, so I can still be caught off by surprise.

"Chimchar, use Ember!" I shouted.

Chimchar wasted no time and shot Ember right at Chikorita.

"Now Chikorita, use Tackle!" Jill shouted.

Chikorita ran toward Chimchar and rammed itself into it.

"Use Flame Wheel!" I commanded.

Chimchar quickly covered itself in its Flame Wheel and charged into Chikorita.

"Quick Chikorita, Poison Powder!" Jill called out.

Chikorita then sprayed a purple-colored powder and blew it toward Chimchar.

"Dodge it quick!" I shouted.

Chimchar quickly ran toward the side, narrowly avoiding the poisonous powder.

"Use Flame Wheel again!" I commanded.

After one Ember, and now two Flame Wheels, you would think Chikorita would've been done already, but it's still going mighty strong. Surprisingly. That's one tough Chikorita, I'll admit.

"You okay?" Jill asked her pear Pokémon.

"Chika!" Chikorita responded, still very determined.

"Great!" Jill shouted. "Use Synthesis!"

Chikorita's collar and its leaf started to glow, then the rest of its body glowed with sparkles here and there. If I'm not mistaken, that restores the user's health a bit. Clever, especially for rookie Trainers like us.

"So she's got a self-healing move?" I asked myself. "Man, she's good. All right Chimchar, use Ember!"

Chimchar once again shot Ember at Chikorita. Despite the type disadvantage, Chikorita is still going very strong. I'm impressed. I feel like I'm repeating myself, but we'll roll with it.

"Now use Poison Powder!" Jill commanded.

Chikorita then sprayed Poison Powder again, this time landing on Chimchar, and poisons it.

"Aw man!" I said. Even though Chimchar isn't having much trouble in this battle at all, I'm still worried that the poison along with Chikorita's attacks would bring us down quicker. Hopefully we can end this battle soon… "You okay Chimchar?"

Chimchar quickly turned back to me and nodded, even though it's in pain from the poison.

"All right," I said. "Then use Scratch!"

Chimchar lunged at Chikorita and scratched it quite a few times.

"Don't give up Chikorita!" Jill shouted. "Use Magical Leaf!"

Chikorita then unleashed an endless number of multi-colored leaves and perfectly shoots them at Chimchar.

"Wait," I said. "How can Chikorita know Magical Leaf this early?"

"Chikorita knew it ever since I got it," Jill responded. "Same goes for Poison Powder, Tackle, and Synthesis."

"So I'm not the only one who got a starter Pokémon that had some moves learned early," I said.

"Yeah," Jill said. "I meant to tell you that when you first caught Starly, but I forgot to do so."

"Ah," I responded. "I see."

"So what do you say we wrap this up?!" Jill asked.

"I like that idea!" I said. "Chimchar, use Ember!"

Chimchar may have taken some damage from the poison, but that didn't slow it down, and it's still able to use its attacks just fine. That sounded completely obvious, but again, we'll roll with it.

"Now Chikorita, use Tackle!" Jill commanded.

The tiny Grass Pokémon gave all of its might into this particular Tackle, managing to land a critical hit. Am I noticing Chikorita's Tackle and Chimchar's Scratch doing a bit more damage than normal? Or is it just me?

"Hang in there Chimchar!" I shouted. "Give it a Flame Wheel!"

Wasting no time, the tiny chimp Pokémon charged at Chikorita, covered in flames. That definitely did enough damage to knock it out, ending the battle.

"Oh no Chikorita!" Jill shouted as she was running toward her partner. "Are you okay?"

Her worry quickly dissipated when Chikorita rubbed its head on Jill's cheek, telling her that she doesn't have to worry.

"Aww," I said. "You seem very close to all of your Pokémon."

"Indeed we are close," Jill responded. "That was a fun battle Ian!"

"Likewise Jill!" I said.

"Here, let me help your Chimchar," She said as she was pulling something out of her backpack. "Come here Chimchar."

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's an Antidote," Jill responded. "It's a medicine that's used to cure poison on Pokémon."

Chimchar had a pretty worried look on its face when I turned to it.

"Don't worry bud," I said. "It won't hurt a bit. It'll get rid of your poison."

"He's right Chimchar," Jill added. "Want Ian to hold you while I spray you?"

At that moment, I felt Chimchar hug me pretty tight. It's pretty clear what it wanted to do, but I think it's scared of the medicine. It was starting to tear up as well. But why? Granted I do get scared whenever I have to get a shot, but I never heard of a Pokémon being scared of any medication.

"Huh? Is it scared?" Jill asked. "And why is it crying?"

"I don't know," I responded as I started to rub Chimchar's back. "Calm down Chimchar. You're getting worked up for nothing. There's nothing to be scared about."

Chimchar wouldn't stop crying though. It really didn't want Jill to spray the Antidote. It was frightened.

"Jill, I think you should put the Antidote away," I said. "I'll take it to the Pokémon Center."

"I got something else to help the poison," Jill quickly said as she was putting away the Antidote and takes out something else. "Here," She then said, handing the item to me. "Have Chimchar eat this. It's a Pecha Berry."

I took the Pecha Berry out of Jill's hand and puts it near Chimchar, trying to get its attention. "Chimchar, eat this," I told it. "It's a Berry, not medicine."

Seems Jill and I were right about Chimchar being scared, as it had no issue with the Pecha Berry. About a minute later, Chimchar was cured of the poison.

"Whew, that's a relief," Jill said as she sighed of relief. "I thought Chimchar was feeling sick when it refused to let me use the Antidote."

"That's happened a few times when watching Pokémon at the Daycare?" I asked.

"It's happened a few times," Jill responded. "That's one thing my parents learned about when they were training to become Pokémon Breeders. If a Pokémon does end up getting sick, we then quarantine them to prevent the illness from spreading, regardless if it's minor or major; We don't like taking chances."

"I don't blame you guys," I said.

"My parents don't want me helping the sick Pokémon though," Jill then said.

"Why?" I asked.

"They're not sure if the illness can transfer to humans," She responded. "Plus they're more experienced at caring for sick Pokémon."

"Can't they just take them to a nearby Pokémon Center?" I asked.

"When someone trains to become a Pokémon Breeder, they have to know how to care for an injured or sick Pokémon right on the spot," Jill said. "If they don't get better within a certain period of time, that's when the Pokémon would have to be transported."

"Ah," I responded. "I get it."

"That reminds me," Jill quickly said. "How come you were so frightened earlier?"

"Oh," I said. "It's nothing."

"Are you sure?" She then asked. "It didn't look like nothing. Were you anxious or something?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," I quickly responded. "If I told you, then you might look down at me, too."

"Ian, you can tell me anything," Jill said. "I won't judge you. Friends are always there to help each other."

"I wish that was the case back then," I said under my breath.

"What was that?" Jill asked.

"It's nothing," I quickly said.

"Ok..," Jill said. Clearly she didn't wanna escalate the situation and get me all worked up, so she let it go. I wish all people were like that to be honest. It would make all of our lives just that much easier.

"Hey Jilly!" Someone shouted as a boy and girl entered the gym at the same time.

"Huh?" Jill asked herself as she looked in the direction the voice was coming from. "Selene! It's been awhile!"

"It sure has!" Selene said. "Been doing well?"

Ok, to give you an idea of who Selene and this boy looks like, Selene had a brown hat with a green stripe down the middle, and had a flower attached uptop. She was also in an orange tank top with a red floral pattern, in white shorts, and sneakers that seemed to match the color scheme of a certain Pokémon. Maybe a Grass Type. Might I add her long black hair had heart shapes on both sides. Kinda reminds me of how Lillie's hair looks like. But I know practically nothing about hair, so there's that.

Now for the boy next to her, who was wearing a red and black hat, in an aqua tank top, white shorts that looked like a bathing suit (Though he had something in black that went down to his knees underneath. I had no idea what it even is.), and sneakers that again matched the color scheme for a certain Pokémon. Though it seemed to resemble a Fire Type unlike Selene.

"I've been doing fine," Jill responded to Selene's question. "How about you Elio?"

"Not too bad," Elio responded. Then he looked at me. "So you must be the new guy?"

"Yeah, that's me," I said. "And you are?" Even though I heard their names already, I'd rather double-check myself. Better safe than sorry.

"The name's Elio," He said. "And the girl over here is my cousin."

"You can just call me Selene," Selene told me. "Great to meet you!"

"Likewise!" I said.

"We got a glimpse of your battle as we were walking by," Elio said. "Looked like it was close."

"Sure was," Jill said. "He's been a Trainer for only a week, and he's already this good. I'm impressed."

"So I'm guessing we have a Champion in the making here?" Elio asked.

"Pretty much," I responded. "Jill helped a bit as well."

"I had a feeling she would," Selene said. "That's Jill for you."

"Aww, Selene!" Jill said as she blushed.

"Sounds like you guys have known each other for awhile," I pointed out.

"Indeed we have," Elio said. "Been here since we were Sophomores. Now we're Seniors of our own, and now Pokémon Trainers."

"Oh that's cool," I said. "Maybe we could all be training buddies or something."

"I like that," Elio said. "We can be rivals!"

"You guys can do that," Selene said.

"Why did you say that Selene?" I asked. Does she not enjoy battling as much as Elio and I do?

"I'm really not much into battling," She responded. "I enjoy more of Pokémon performing and things like that."

"I see," I said. "Kinda like one of the people I met last week. Dawn."

"Dawn Berlitz?!" Selene asked suddenly. I'm pretty sure her eyes were glittering at the name.

"I think so," I responded. "She was a tad taller than me with long blue hair and a Piplup."

"Do you realize how lucky you are?!" Selene asked as she grabbed my hands. "I've always wanted to meet her!"

"Calm down there Selene," Elio said. "There's no need to get worked up."

"All right," Selene said after she sighed. "Sorry about that Ian."

"It's okay," I said.

"By the way Jill, did you hear about an incident involved with Team Space last week?" Selene asked.

"I think so," Jill responded. "Why?"

"We heard they're running about again," Elio said. "And there has been many reports and incidents of Pokémon abuse recently."

"Really?" Jill said in surprise. I kinda wanna tell them I came across one of the Grunts with Team Space, but it'll just turn into the conversation I had when I first met Katie and Mike's other friends. "Did you hear anything about that Ian?" Jill then asked me.

I kinda sweatdropped when Jill asked me that question, but any information that we can spread could help. "Yeah, I was involved in an incident last week," I said.

"You can't be serious!" Selene said. "Did any of your Pokémon get stolen?!"

"No," I quickly responded. "But I had to help a kid get his stolen Pokémon back. That was the battle that was ahead of us Jill!"

"No way!" Jill said. "Dammit! I should've known!"

"Don't beat yourself up Jill," Selene said. "Not worth it at all."

"She's right," Elio added. "Anyway, we better get going. Our parents are probably worried about us."

"Yeah," Selene said. "Great seeing you Jill! And great meeting you Ian!"

"Back at you!" I said.

"Alola!" Elio said as he made a gesture with his arms before walking out with Selene.

"Alola?" I asked myself.

"They're originally from the Alola region," Jill said. "And that saying is used to say hello and goodbye to other people in that region."

"I see," I said.

"We should head out now as well," Jill then said.

"Good idea," I said.

"Need a lift?" She asked me. "My mom's picking me up. Besides, you have yet to meet her!"

"Yeah," I said. "I'll take you up on that."

A couple of minutes later, we were out the door, and heading toward the SUV that Jill's mom drives.

"Hey Mom!" Jill said to her mother.

"Hi sweetie!" Her mom said to her. "How was your first day?"

"Great!" Jill responded. "Can we give one of my friends a ride home?"

"Of course!" Jill's mom said. "Who's this? Your new boyfriend?"

Jill and I blushed a deep red at that question. She just met me and she already ships us?! Did she forget that Jill already has a boyfriend?!

"M-Mom!" Jill shouted. "First: I already have a boyfriend! And second: We're just friends! Leo would kill me if he saw that I was cheating on him! I would never do that anyway!"

"Then why are you still blushing?" Her mom then asked.

"Please stop!" Jill snapped. "You're embarrassing me in front of Ian!"

"You know I'm just kidding with you!" Her mom said. "So, for real, this your new friend?"

"Yeah," Jill responded. "This is Ian."

"Nice to meet you Ian," Her mom told me. "I'm Dakota."

"Same to you," I said. "Where can I sit?"

"There's plenty of room in the back," Dakota said.

"Cool!" I said as I opened the door, only to see a Pokémon in one of the seats. "And who's this Pokémon?"

"Ah crap," Dakota said. "I forgot that our Growlithe Firefluff was back there. There room for you to sit next to him?"

"Plenty," I said as I got in my seat and buckled up. "He's laying behind you."

"Oh that's good," Dakota said. "So where're you from Ian?"

"He's our next-door neighbor actually!" Jill said.

"Oh that's where you took off a few days ago!" Dakota said.

The conversation went on like that for the remainder of the trip home. Her mom seems to have an interesting sense of humor to say the least. I'm gonna have to take some time to actually know her before I form any opinions.

"Just to let you know Mom, his house is the one before us," Jill said.

"Alrighty!" Dakota said as she was pulling over. "There you are Ian! Your parents' home?"

"No, they're at work," I responded.

"You'll be okay by yourself?" Dakota asked.

"I'll be fine," I said.

"Cool!" She said. "If you need anything, give us a shout!"

"Thanks for that," I said.

Both Dakota and Jill waved at me before they drove away to their house.

As I was heading into the house through the garage, I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation we had about Team Space and recent cases of Pokémon abuse. Are these actually connected? Something's telling me that they are. Little do I know is that one of these cases would strike close to home. Literally.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It's been almost a week since school has started, and I think I've finally gotten into the swing of things. That includes me taking care of myself when I get home since Dad's working every day now. Thankfully I have multiple ways of getting home from school though. Since now that I'm used to this schedule now, I'm planning to go register for the Pokémon League at the main office on Monday. But why do I have to go there and not the Pokémon Center? Can you just register there? Eh, it'll get done regardless of where I go.

After Lillie and Snowflake dropped me off at home, I was kinda hungry. So I decided to get myself a snack after I did some of my chores (Yes, even at eighteen, my family is still having me do chores. Don't judge me, 'cause I don't like it either.). Everyone was talking about Team Space at school today and the most recent case of Pokémon abuse. People have been on edge as more cases have been on the rise, causing some to believe that Team Space is running at large again. This has happened before? That's odd. Wonder why there was such a low for a bit. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels that way.

As I was getting my snack, I peaked out the window for really no reason. Maybe just to get a view of the scenery or something. I did see something walk by just now, but couldn't see the entire thing, so I let it go.

Once I put the bag of chips back into the cabinet after pouring some in a bowl, I looked out the window again to see if whatever I saw is still on the driveway. I almost lost myself at what I saw. A Shiny Shinx. But it doesn't look good. It was limping on its front left leg, and it collapsed on the driveway!

Seeing what had happened, I ran out to the driveway from our deck to check on the Shinx. It was worse than I thought, as its knee was bleeding pretty bad. Bruises everywhere, and the little guy was bawling from the pain. I better make sure I don't pick it up the wrong way to worsen the injury. Maybe I could get Jill to help, as she was next door, but the sooner I can help this Shinx, the better it'll be.

"Are you okay?!" I asked the Shinx as I gently put my hand on its back.

Shinx was a little spooked when I put my hand on it, but it didn't try to fight back or even call for help. These Pokémon are pretty common in Sinnoh, so I'm pretty familiar with its line, and what they can do if they're in trouble.

The gold and black Pokémon began to lay on its side, but I caught it just in time, allowing me to get a better look at its injured knee. The blood was still flowing out, and a bit darker than it should be. I needed to do something now or this thing could potentially die from its injuries.

"Don't worry Shinx, I'll help you," I said as I slowly pick it up.

Shinx started to squirm a bit, but quickly stopped as I started to pet it. Now I gotta decide where to take it to have it cared for? Should I take it in my own hands, or take it to Jill's house? Screw it. I'm gonna have to know how to care for my own Pokémon, and not rely on other people all the time. So I decided to take Shinx into my house.

Before I could even set Shinx down so I can care for it, I had to lay a towel down so I don't get the blood anywhere else. After laying down the towel on the floor, I laid Shinx on it as gently as I could.

"Hang tight while I get some things to help that knee," I said to Shinx. "Don't go anywhere."

As I was searching for the things I needed to help Shinx, it sat up and watched me without me even knowing. Thankfully, we did have some heavy-duty bandages for Pokémon, so I grabbed a roll of that, and a damp paper towel to stop the bleeding. If I'm doing anything wrong here, don't yell at me. I'm doing what I can. Anyway, I also grabbed some Potion for the bruises.

Once I walked back to Shinx, I saw that it was still sitting up. "Oh, were you waiting for me?" I asked.

The little guy cracked a small smile and nodded at me. Looks like it finally stopped crying as well. That's surprising. Maybe Shinx was too weak to resist me, so it tried to trust me or something.

Seeing Shinx's response, I got down to my knees and started to dab the damp paper towel to try and stop the bleeding, and then put a dry paper towel on it to put pressure on it.

After almost two minutes of trying to get the wound to stop bleeding, I then wrapped it with the bandage. Once I wrapped the bandage, I then sprayed the Potion on the many bruises all over Shinx's body. There was one near the wounded part of its leg, so I had to be careful, even if it's already covered. Finally seeing its injuries in full was pretty upsetting. Who would even dare to hurt a Pokémon like this?! This just sickens me.

As I was helping Shinx, I heard someone yelling in the backyard. I ignored it to see if whoever's yelling will stop. But it didn't.

"Wait here Shinx," I said as I stood up. "I gotta see who's yelling." When I got to the window, it was the last person that I was expecting to see. A Team Space Grunt. Dammit. Is this Grunt looking for Shinx? If he is, I'm not letting him get his hands on it. Now I gotta hide Shinx somehow. Wait, I know where.

"Shinx, we gotta get you down to my room," I said. "Now."

Shinx looked at me confused, probably asking why I need to put it in my room. "There's a Team Space Grunt outside!" I then said. "He could be looking for you!"

Shinx was starting to get scared when I said "Team Space." Seems it came across them before. So it tried to jump into my arms, but its leg was still hurt pretty bad, so I had to pick it up myself.

Once I got Shinx downstairs into my room, I checked back upstairs to see if the Grunt was still there. And indeed he was. I think at this point, I'm gonna have to force him off the property. By battling him. But I can't just approach him carelessly. I needed to think of a plan and basically ambush him.

Since the Grunt was in the backyard, I went out the front door and called out Chimchar and Starly. This was a pretty risky plan that I was thinking of, but I have confidence in the three of us. "Listen up good, all right?" I first asked to make sure my Pokémon were paying attention.

Both Pokémon nodded at me, knowing that the situation that is unfolding is very serious. "Good," I then said. "There's a Team Space Grunt in the backyard right now, and it's very likely he's looking for Shinx. What I'm thinking is we'll try to ambush him, then battle him. If he doesn't flee after that, then we might have to get a little dirty."

After our first encounter, Chimchar and Starly knew these guys don't mess around. "Here's how we'll start," I said. "Both of you will climb to the roof and stop just before the top. Chimchar, you then jump from the roof and onto the nearest tree while firing Ember in front of him. And Starly, you fly on top of his head and give a good slap of the cheek with your Wing Attack. I'll cut through the house and jump from the deck. We clear?"

When both Pokémon nodded, we immediately put the plan into action. As I took off for the house again, Chimchar and Starly were making their way up the roof. But since I somehow made it to the door that lead to the deck, I ducked from all the windows to stay out of the Grunt's view while I wait for Chimchar and Starly to do their part.

Once I heard the Grunt shout in pain from our ambush, that was my que to jump from the deck and onto the driveway, right in front of him. "Surprise!" I shouted to him.

"Huh?! Oh, it's you!" The Grunt said. "You're that boy from two weeks ago!"

"I'm surprised you remember me," I lied. "Oh wait, I'm not."

"I knew you'd remember me," The Grunt said. "So, is this your place?"

"No!" I lied again. I really don't wanna have an entire evil organization know where I live. I had to really try and make it sound like I was telling the truth, 'cause I'm bad at lies like that.

"Then who's house is it?!" The Grunt then asked.

"That's none of your business!" I said. "Get out of here now, or I'll force you out!"

"Make me!" The Grunt said. "Ralts, to battle!" He shouted as he threw his Poké Ball.

Out came a rather small Pokémon with an all white body with what looks like green hair covering its eyes, and a red thing pointing out on the top.

"Ready to go Starly?" I asked my tiny bird.

Starly nodded and went in front of me, glaring at the Grunt.

"All right Starly, start off with Quick Attack!" I commanded.

Wasting no time at all, Starly flew in fast to hit Ralts, and flies back toward me.

"So you're going to battle that way?!" The Grunt asked. "Fine! Ralts use Disarming Voice!"

Ralts let out a pretty emotional and charming cry, which managed to do some damage to Starly. Quite an interesting move if I say so myself.

"Now Starly, use Wing Attack!" I shouted.

Flying in for the hit again, Starly strikes Ralts multiple times with both wings.

"Use Confusion!" The Grunt called out.

Ralts then created an odd force that did damage Starly. I don't even know how to describe moves like that. All I saw was Ralts' eyes glowed red and Starly was hit. That was it.

"Dammit!" The Grunt then said. Why was he mad even if the move landed? Was he trying to get Starly confused with that move? It's possible, and it seems he was hoping for that to happen.

"What's his problem?" I asked myself. "Starly, use Tackle!"

Rushing in, Starly rammed itself into Ralts, sending it rolling toward the Grunt.

"You better get up now!" He demanded.

Ralts did get up, but it got up rather slowly. Maybe it's not gonna be able to go on much longer than this. This is just hard to see.

"That's better!" The Grunt then said. "Use Double Team!"

All of a sudden, Ralts started to duplicate itself and surrounded Starly! I've seen a ton of Pokémon use Double Team when I was young, but this is my first time dealing with one. No wonder a lot of people get confused when trying to counter this move.

"What are you going to do now?!" The Grunt asked me. He thinks he's finally got me stumped, but I know a strategy that Dad told me about after seeing one of his battles. I so wanna try that right now.

"Starly, fly through the Double Team and use Wing Attack!" I yelled.

The bird Pokémon flew right into one of the fakes and flew in the path that the Double Team formed, eventually managing to hit the real one.

"No way!" The Grunt said. "That's not fair!"

"It pays to have a parent that used to be a competitive battler!" I said. Man I wish Dad was here to see that! Same goes for when I go for my first Gym Battle. "Now Starly, use Tackle!"

Going in for one last hit, Starly rammed itself into Ralts once again, and knocked it out.

"No!" The Grunt said as he put Ralts back in its Poké Ball.

"Had enough?" I asked.

"Not yet!" He said. "Rattata, show them what we mean!" He then said as he threw his Poké Ball. Or should I say Cosimo Ball?

Out came what's known as a common Pokémon elsewhere, but it didn't look like what I expected out of Rattata. The tan areas of its body were black and the rest of the body was white. The top of its tail also formed a crescent moon. Another modified Pokémon. Great.

"So you've got a modified Rattata now?" I asked.

"Dead on the money!" The Grunt said. "Now Rattata, Galacto Ball!" Not gonna let this happen like last time.

Rattata quickly shot a Galacto Ball right at it, but I was gonna use that for a little strategy.

"Dodge it!" I shouted. "And use Quick Attack!" Ok, maybe I wasn't really using it to my advantage, but at least… Nevermind.

With little time to spare, Starly quickly flew up, avoiding the Galacto Ball, and rushes in for the attack.

"Use Tackle!" The Grunt said. "Now!"

Rattata gave all of its might into that Tackle, ramming into Starly pretty hard.

"Doing okay Starly?" I asked.

Starly then turned back to me and nodded.

"Great!" I said. "Use Wing Attack!"

"Not before we use Quick Attack!" The Grunt called out.

Rattata then rushed at Starly at high speeds, only to be struck by Starly thanks to its Wing Attack.

"Oh quit fooling around Rattata!" The Grunt said. "Use Galacto Ball! And make sure this weakling is done!"

Once again, Rattata shot another Galacto Ball at Starly, but it didn't finish it off this time!

"Are you kidding me?!" The Grunt then asked, shocked at how wrong he was proven.

"You can never be correct all the time when you call shots like that!" I said. "Even I'm guilty of the same thing! Starly, use Tackle!"

In hopes of delivering the final blow, Starly rammed itself into Rattata, managing to knock it out. That even surprised me. I thought that wasn't gonna finish it, and I would eventually have to use Chimchar. But that wasn't gonna be the case.

"How could you?!" The Grunt shouted as Rattata transformed back to normal and his Cosimo Ball shattered. "That's twice you've beaten me! TWICE!"

"Well if you stopped abusing Pokémon, then I wouldn't have got in your way!" I snapped. "So get out of here while you can!"

"Oh I will!" The Grunt said. "Come across us again, and we _will_ come down hard on you! Just you wait!" Then he took off running like his ass was on fire. Good riddance.

"Great job Starly!" I said as I picked it up and put it on my shoulder. I then looked over to Chimchar, and it was starting to get a little jealous. I giggled. "Come on up Chimchar."

I'm pretty sure Chimchar was glowing with excitement, as it happily jumped onto my empty shoulder. Now we can finally head in and relax for the afternoon. Before I was greeted by Shinx on the deck.

"Shinx?" I asked. "How did you get up here?" I know I left Shinx downstairs in my room, so I don't understand how it got out. Wait, I remember now. There's a tiny door attached to my door. Maybe the previous owner had a dog Pokémon in the family or something. I should lock that door from now on whenever I'm about to leave the house.

Shinx caught me by surprise when it had recovered enough to jump into my arms, causing Chimchar and Starly to climb off. I really didn't know how to feel right now. Should I be mad, or should I be happy? I can't be mad at Shinx if it managed to get itself out here just to see me. Plus it was crying again, so I really can't be mad at it if it's like this. So I ended up carrying it back into the house while Chimchar and Starly followed.

Once we got inside, and I put Shinx on the table so I can talk with it while I ate my snack. "So, was that the reason why you were so badly hurt?" I asked.

Shinx nodded at me, sitting in front of me like a puppy Pokémon. It was so cute!

"I get it," I said. I didn't wanna let Shinx back out into the wild like this, so I had an idea. But I would have to talk to Dad about this. "Do you mind if you stayed with us tonight?"

Shinx got excited about that, as it stood up and started to lick my cheek!

"All right, knock it off!" I said as I was laughing. "That tickles!" Eventually I fell to the floor, and Shinx was on top of me, still licking me. "Ok, ok," I then said as I pulled myself up. "You should go lay down before you worsen your leg injury. I don't wanna see you end up with a broken leg. Want me to help you downstairs?"

Shinx then cooed at me or something (I really don't know what noise it was making, so I'll stick with it unless someone corrects me on it.)! I swear, I heard purring as well, but I don't think Shinx can purr. Regardless, I picked Shinx up and brought it downstairs, then came back up to bring my snack and soda down as well.

For the remainder of the afternoon, I let the Pokémon play in my room (And made sure they weren't getting reckless.) for a bit while I did my homework. After I did my homework, we watched a few movies after I decided to invite Jill over for a few hours. She was surprised to see the Shinx, but I explained to her what had happened before she got jealous of me because I found a random Shiny Pokémon. She hatched one of her own though! I think that makes us even!

Once Dad got home later that evening, he realized that Shinx was in the house, and I had to explain my plan with him. He was a little harsh about it, but he understands why I'm doing what I'm doing. I really thought he wasn't gonna let me keep Shinx in the house until its leg got better, but thankfully I was wrong. I get that he's being protective and concerned, but I think he's being a little too protective.

Thankfully it's Saturday now, so I didn't have to get up early for school once again. That's still the one thing that I down right hate about school. I felt like something was on top of me, and when I woke up, I saw that Shinx was waiting for me to wake up. Clearly the little guy was eager for me to get up.

"Well looks like you slept well," I said as I was petting Shinx and rubbing my eyes. As I pulled myself up to stretch, Shinx jumped off the bed, and started to chase its tail! I certainly got a kick out of that. Shinx is getting quite attached to me, which is somewhat surprising. But considering how much I helped it yesterday, it's not too surprising. This is probably my first long exposure to a Shinx, even though I'm more used to being around Luxio, which is Shinx's evolution. Luxio are pretty common near Sunyshore City, which is around Route 222 if I'm not mistaken.

Dad had left for work already, so I'm on my own to take care of myself and the Pokémon again. Good thing we had food for Electric-Type Pokémon so I can feed Shinx as well. Better check on its leg at some point today. Jill also said she'll come check on Shinx as well at some point today as well. She also told me that there's a chance that Shinx would want to be a part of my team. I kinda hope that's the case because I'm really loving this Shinx, and it'd be a shame if I didn't catch it.

So I decided to head outside to do some training with Chimchar and Starly so I can get them ready for the Gym Battle, and Shinx really wanted to join in on the fun. While that does sound nice, technically it's not my Pokémon. So I can't let it join the training. But it had another idea, as it almost climbed my leg to touch one of my Poké Balls!

"You're getting desperate, aren't you?" I asked Shinx as I was watching it.

Shinx then climbed down and nodded with a huge smile on its face. Then it turned around while still looking at me, almost like it's telling me something.

"You want me to watch something?" I then asked.

Shinx then had a determined look on its face as it nodded, and its body glowed a goldish-yellow while yellow balls of energy were going into its body. Seems like that was a move called Charge.

"Was that a Charge?" I asked.

Shinx then nodded at me, and covered itself with electricity then charged straight ahead!

"Whoa!" I exclaimed. "That was Spark! Nice! But, what about your leg?"

Shinx started doing backflips and somersaults then throwing some kicks. Seems its leg is doing a lot better than yesterday. But how? How can Pokémon injuries heal that fast? Or was it not as bad as I thought it would be? I don't know. Then Shinx started barking at me, trying to tell me something else. Since I can't understand Pokémon language, I turned to Chimchar and Starly to see what they think.

"What do you two think?" I asked. "Is it telling me what I think it's telling me?"

Both nodded at me. I knew it. Shinx wants to be on the team, and it wants to battle.

"So you wanna battle and come on the team?" I asked.

Shinx then nodded at me again, and went a bit further away to prepare itself for battle. We're in the front yard by the way. There's basically no room in the backyard to even do some training.

"All right then!" I said. "Ready Chimchar?"

Chimchar nodded and went in front of me, also ready for battle.

"All right Shinx, we're ready!" I said. "Chimchar, use Ember!"

Starting off the battle is Chimchar firing Ember right at Shinx, doing some decent damage.

Shinx responded with Spark, colliding pretty hard into Chimchar. Looks like this'll be a great addition to the team once I do some training with it.

"That's a good start Shinx!" I said. "Now Chimchar, use Flame Wheel!"

Chimchar ran pretty fast toward Shinx, colliding into it, and did about the same amount of damage that Spark did. Or relatively close. I don't know.

Shinx then followed up with a Tackle after getting hit by the Flame Wheel.

"Use Scratch!" I then commanded.

Chimchar then rushed at Shinx and scratched it multiple times.

Shinx then gave a glaring look to Chimchar, lowering its physical Defense a bit. So that must've been Leer.

"Don't give in Chimchar!" I shouted. "Use Dig!"

Chimchar then dug itself a hole into the ground, moving under Shinx. Since Shinx can't do anything with Chimchar underground, it decided to use Charge so it can use Spark on the next turn. Chimchar then emerged from the ground and struck Shinx, doing some pretty significant damage.

But that didn't stop Shinx, as it was able to take advantage of Charge and slammed into Chimchar with Spark. I'll admit, it's pretty strong, even if it's just getting over a leg injury.

"You okay Chimchar?" I asked.

Chimchar nodded and gave a thumbs up to me.

"All right!" I said. "Then use Flame Wheel!"

As quickly as it could, Chimchar once again charged into Shinx with Flame Wheel, but it didn't finish Shinx! But I know Shinx is not gonna be able to go on much longer, so might as well go for it.

"That should do it!" I said. "Go Poké Ball!" I then shouted as I threw a Poké Ball at Shinx.

Once the Poké Ball hit Shinx, Shinx went inside, and the Poké Ball closed before bouncing on the ground. Then it shook three times before clicking and stopped shaking, indicating that Shinx had been caught.

"Awesome!" I said as I walked to pick up the Poké Ball and call out Shinx. Now the team is half-full already!

As soon as Shinx came out of its Poké Ball, it immediately jumped into my arms, rubbing its head on my cheek and even licked me!

"Ok ok!" I said as I was petting Shinx on its head. "Welcome to the group Shinx!"

Shinx gave me one last lick on the cheek before jumping down to play with Chimchar and Starly.

"Ian!" Jill shouted as she was running over.

"Hey there Jill!" I said, waving to her.

"How's Shinx doing?" She asked.

"Doing just fine now," I responded. "We just had a battle. It wasn't slowed down at all by its injury."

"Thank goodness," Jill said. "I got worried when you said Shinx had a battle with you. Does that also mean you caught it?!"

"Sure did!" I said. "And the little guy is already quite attached to me. Which is kinda surprising considering I've known it for less than twenty-four hours."

"I can see why," Jill said. "So I'm guessing the injury wasn't as bad as you feared?"

"Seems like it," I said. "I thought I was gonna have to take it to the Pokémon Center if it didn't get better. Guess I didn't have to."

"That's great!" Jill said. "Now you've got your third Pokémon already! I'm jealous!"

"Hey, I didn't plan this!" I snapped.

"Chill out Ian, I'm just joking," Jill said as she booped my nose. Of course I had to "catch" the boop, which is basically covering my nose with my hands. I may have already explained that two chapters ago, but we'll deal with it. "So, what're your plans now that you have your third Pokémon under your belt?"

"I think now is the time to start training for my first Gym Battle," I responded.

"Oh, so you are gonna do the Gym Challenge!" Jill said. "That's great!"

"Yeah," I said. "What about you?"

"My dad suggested the Gym Challenge to me as well," She said. "But I feel like there's another Challenge that I would like to take on."

"And what's that?" I asked.

"I'll tell you another time," Jill hesitated.

"You can tell me now," I quickly told her. "I won't judge."

I could've swore she blushed at my response. Regardless, she told me what she wanted to do as a Trainer. A Challenge that was previously known as something I heard Sara mention after she and Katie battled. The Showdowns.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Today's the day: My first Gym Battle. I spent a few days getting Shinx caught up with Chimchar and Starly before we challenged Mrs. Laverty so that we're actually ready. And yes, I did register for the Pokémon League finally. It's been a little over a week since I caught Shinx for those wondering. Sadly, no one knows a move that could be super effective against her Pokémon. But I'm not worried about this. First though, I gotta get through school before I can even have my battle. I told Dad about it, but he told me that he most likely won't make it because of work. Sigh.

Now comes the question of when I should ask Mrs. Laverty? Well, today is Wednesday, and she told me that she's not very busy on Wednesday. So I decided to head down to her classroom (Which is near Professor Fir's room.) during my Study Hall period. Thankfully, she was in when I looked inside.

"Hi Ian!" Mrs. Laverty greeted me.

"Oh good, you're here," I said as I made my way in.

"Need something?" She then asked.

"Well, I was thinking about something," I responded. "Do you think we can have a Gym Battle after school if you're not busy?" Mind you I was pretty nervous asking this question, so I tried to hold my own during this.

"Of course we can!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Think you've done enough training?"

"I made sure to get plenty in," I responded.

"That's great!" She then said. "Meet me at the high school gym after school, ok?"

"Will do," I said as I started to walk out. "Thanks,"

"No problem!" She said. That was a lot easier than I thought. Now I don't have to stress about it until then. But I do want some people watch me battle… I think I found the perfect person to ask.

"Hey there Ian!" Jill said as she was coming out of Professor Fir's room.

"Oh, hey Jill," I said. "What's up?"

"Not much," She responded. "I was just visiting Professor Fir for something. How about you?"

"I was just talking with Mrs. Laverty," I responded.

"Oh," She said. "What did you have to talk to her about?"

"Gonna have my Gym Battle after school today!" I said.

"Oh that sounds exciting!" She said. "Can I come? Please?" She did my job for me. Now I don't have to potentially sound awkward if I were to ask her.

"Of course you can come!" I responded. "I was about to ask incidentally."

"Guess we had the same idea," Jill said.

"Seems that way," I said. "Anyway, I gotta head back to Study Hall."

"Yeah, same goes for me," Jill said. "See you after school!"

After that, we parted ways for the rest of the day, then met up at the front of the gym after school. But little did I know that Jill brought a few people with her: Elio, Selene, Katie, Sara, Hannah, and someone else with brown bushy hair? I don't think I've met this guy before.

"Thought I'd surprise you!" Jill said. "Hope you don't mind!"

"I don't mind at all," I said. Then I looked over at the boy that was next to Sara. "I don't think we've met yet."

"You can call me Edwin," The boy said.

"He's my boyfriend," Sara added as she wrapped her arms around Edwin's arm. "Don't worry, he won't bite."

"Oh, good to know," I said. "Nice to have a small crowd here regardless."

"Never thought I'd be totally rid of this school," Katie joked. "I remember when Mike did his first Gym Battle here. On the first day of school actually."

"Started so soon?" I asked.

"A lot sooner to say the least," Katie said. "Somehow he was able to win on the first try despite us becoming Trainers a few days prior. It was quite a havoc day to say the least."

"And a cold one to boot," Hannah said. Sara then just stared and sighed at her. "What?"

"Was that a pun?" Sara asked.

"Not really," Hannah responded.

Jill giggled at the conversation unfolding between Sara and Hannah. "Anyway, you should go tell Mrs. Laverty that you're ready," She then said.

"All right," I said before I went to find Mrs. Laverty in the gym. It looked drastically different than it looked earlier today. The bleachers were a lot higher up than they normally are. A battlefield was on the floor instead of the normal gym floor. So the high school gym is the Pokémon Gym?

As I was walking in, Mrs. Laverty heard me open the door, and turned around to face me. "Welcome to the Portland Gym!" She said. "Hope you're ready for me!"

"Quite a transformation," I pointed out, still fascinated by what has become of this place. Then I saw everyone else sitting in the bleachers. What really caught my eye though wasn't Jill actually. It was a somewhat large pink Pokémon sitting in Edwin's lap. I'll have to ask one of them after the battle.

"You ready to go?" Mrs. Laverty asked as she was going to her side of the battlefield.

"I sure am!" I firmly responded as I went to my side of the battlefield.

"Sometimes I wish I was the one that was battling," Someone said, who was standing at the referee's spot. Wait, that was Coach K. He's gonna be the referee for this battle?! That's cool!

"Hey, this was better for your schedule," Mrs. Laverty said.

"Yeah yeah," Coach said. "So, we shall now have a Gym Battle between Ian the challenger and Cindy the Gym Leader! Each Trainer shall use three Pokémon. The battle will end when all three Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. Challenger, you are able to substitute Pokémon if you need to. If you're ready Trainers, then bring out your Pokémon now!"

"Ok Skitty, time for some fun!" Mrs. Laverty said as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came a pink and tan kitten Pokémon with a prominent "Nya" as it came out. It seemed so adorable! But as I learned with Sunsil, just because it looks cute doesn't mean that it's going to be powerful. Gotta be careful. But who should I start with? I think I know who.

"Starly, let's get started!" I shouted as I threw my Poké Ball.

Out came the tiny dark gray bird Pokémon, ready to share its first Gym Battle with its Trainer.

"All right!" Coach shouted. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Starly, let's start off with Quick Attack!" I shouted.

"Use Fake Out!" Mrs. Laverty called.

Getting a big head start, Skitty rushed at Starly at the blink of an eye and hits it, causing Starly to flinch. What a way to get started, I tell you.

"Try and use Quick Attack again," I said.

Thankfully, Starly was able to move this time and land its attack on Skitty. Hopefully Skitty doesn't have any sort of attack that is super effective on Starly though. Then again, I doubt it since I'm still a rookie Trainer.

"Not bad you two," Mrs. Laverty complimented. "Skitty, use Tackle!"

Skitty then ran as fast as it could and rams itself into Starly, doing some decent damage.

"You okay Starly?" I asked.

Starly quickly got back up and waved its wing at me. It was still doing just fine. That's good.

"Nice!" I said. "Then use Wing Attack!"

Since Skitty was still close to Starly, it didn't need to fly in at all, as it was able to get to work right away and hit Skitty multiple times with its wings.

"Hang in there Skitty!" Mrs. Laverty shouted. "Use Disarming Voice!"

Skitty made possible the most emotional and damaging cry I've ever heard from any Pokémon. Reminds me of the single day that may have changed me for good, but we'll not go into that. That aside, it did do a decent amount of damage to Starly.

"Don't give up Starly!" I said. "Use Wing Attack again!"

Because Skitty was farther away, Starly had to move in a bunch of directions to make sure Skitty would have a hard time trying to aim an attack at Starly.

"Keep an eye on Skitty!" Mrs. Laverty called out. "Then use Double Slap!"

Hearing what Mrs. Laverty told Skitty, Starly wanted to make sure that Skitty didn't have a chance to hit even if it's being chased. Heh. A cat chasing a bird. That's funny. But I'm not laughing. Someone reading this is so gonna doubt that.

"Dodge it!" I yelled.

Swooping around the battlefield, Starly was doing a pretty decent job at avoiding Skitty. Of course, we couldn't stay like this though, or the battle would go nowhere. Being aware of that, Starly was flying back toward Skitty.

"Use Tackle!" I commanded, watching Starly head straight for Skitty. Starly kept going and rammed into Skitty, landing a critical hit.

"Hang in there Skitty!" Mrs. Laverty yelled. "Use Disarming Voice!"

Skitty then let out another Disarming Voice, doing more damage to Starly.

"You okay Starly?" I asked.

Starly then nodded at me before glaring back at Skitty.

"Then use Wing Attack!" I commanded.

Starly flew very fast toward Skitty, hitting it multiple times with its wings, and manages to knock it out.

"Skitty!" Mrs. Laverty shouted.

"Skitty is not able to battle," Coach said. "Starly is the winner!"

"Thank you Skitty," Mrs. Laverty then said. "Make sure to rest up well," She also said as she put Skitty back in its Poké Ball. "That seems like a nice start for the both of you! Nicely done!"

"Thanks," I responded. "Skitty did a good job as well. It's definitely cute, but it can hit hard."

"Nailed it," Mrs. Laverty said. "Let's keep it going Audino!" She then said as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out a pink and tan Pokémon with blue eyes. Is it just me, or does she have a thing for these cute Pokémon? Maybe it's just me.

"Starly, wanna keep going?" I asked.

Starly quickly and firmly nodded at me, telling me that it wants to continue battling. After seeing what Starly wanted to do, I looked up at my friends in the bleachers. All of them were still cheering us on a lot, and I thought I saw a bright smile on Jill's face. That could be just me imagining though.

"All right Starly, use Quick Attack!" I commanded.

Wasting no time, Starly rushed in for the first strike. That seemed to do only decent damage. That's fine though. Plus Starly had just battled Skitty, so it's probably starting to get tired. I'll have to be a bit more careful with it from here on in.

"Audino, use Pound!" Mrs. Laverty commanded.

Audino did seem to get going rather quickly and managed to hit Starly. Quite surprising actually.

"Now use Growl!" I then shouted. I almost forgot that Starly also knows Growl as well. Then again, I barely see anyone have their Starly use Growl as well, so I don't feel as bad as I could've.

Starly let out a very loud Growl, managing to lower Audino's Attack by a bit. Though I don't know any of its either moves, so we'll try to keep our distance.

"Trying something different I see?" Mrs. Laverty asked. "I like it when Trainers change their pace in battle. It keeps things fresh and on your toes the entire time. Audino, use Disarming Voice!"

So Audino also has Disarming Voice? Interesting. But that doesn't benefit us since Disarming Voice is considered a Special Attack.

"Starly, you okay?" I asked.

Starly is hanging in there like a champ. I don't think I've ever seen it go this long. But I don't wanna push it too hard. And I don't want Starly to push itself too hard. Granted it's only my first Pokémon in this battle, but Dad always told me to think like this is my last Pokémon. That might be a bit much, as that could affect my courage, even in the beginning of the battle.

"Just be careful," I said. "Then use Wing Attack!"

The tiny dark gray bird Pokémon flew in once again, hitting Audino, but still not doing a ton of damage. Some would be upset about that, but I don't care. As long as my Pokémon are able to land their attacks, no matter how much damage it does to the opponent, that's all I have to worry about. For now at least.

"Now let's give it a Double Slap!" Mrs. Laverty called out.

Despite its physical Attack being lowered from Starly's Growl, Audino still manages to hit Starly with Double Slap. Or should I say a Quintuple Slap, as it hit five times in a row! I'd say that's more than a Double Slap if I say so myself!

"Let's give it another Growl Starly!" I shouted. I wanted to make sure Audino's physical moves hit as little as possible so that it makes us somewhat even.

But Starly had another plan up its wing, as it flew in extremely fast and hits Audino pretty hard. As it pulled up, its body started glowing a bright white, and started to deform! As Starly was still glowing, its body started to grow in size, its wings got bigger, and the little hair on top of its head grew as well. Once it finally stopped glowing, its appearance had changed as well. Looks like Starly evolved!

"Well what a turn of events!" I said as I was pulling out my Pokédex to see if my assumptions were right. Indeed they were.

" _Staravia: The Starling Pokémon, and the evolved form of Starly. A Normal and Flying Type,_ " The Pokédex read. " _Staravia always fly in large flocks due to them being weak. They tend to cry very noisily if alone. This Staravia is able to use the following moves: Aerial Ace, Tackle, Wing Attack, and Quick Attack._ " So Starly learned Aerial Ace just before it evolved. Awesome!

"My, oh my!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Your Starly evolved into Staravia and learned Aerial Ace! Good for you!"

"Thanks for that!" I responded. "So, ready to go Staravia?!"

Staravia cooed pretty loud, which caused Audino's Attack to be lowered again.

"Whoa," I said in shock. "What caused that? I never said to use Growl."

"That's because of Staravia's Ability Intimidate!" Katie shouted from the bleachers.

"Really?" I asked as I looked up toward the bleachers.

"She's right Ian," Mrs. Laverty responded. "How about we get back into the swing of things?!"

"I like that idea!" I said. "Staravia, Aerial Ace! Go!"

Wasting no time, Staravia flew in very fast to hit Audino once again.

"Don't give up Audino!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Use Disarming Voice again!"

Audino managed to get ahold of itself after being hit by Staravia and used Disarming Voice. It also got a critical hit as well.

"You okay Staravia?" I asked.

Staravia did get up, but it was slow doing so. Seems it's not gonna be able to keep going much longer.

"You sure you don't wanna rest?" I then asked.

Staravia was well into it though. I get that it's enjoying the battle, but even I can tell that it's getting tired. I really want it to rest, but if it wants to keep going, then we'll try.

"Ok," I then said. "Then use Tackle!"

Wasting no time, Staravia rammed itself into Audino. Man, this thing is really taking hits like it's nothing. This is gonna be harder than I thought.

"Now use Double Slap!" Mrs. Laverty commanded.

"Dodge it quick!" I quickly shouted.

Letting Audino get close, Staravia still manages to fly straight up, and out of Audino's reach.

"Great! Now use Wing Attack!" I then said.

Staravia quickly turned around and flew straight down to hit Audino.

"Don't let it get close!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Dodge it now!"

In the nick of time, Audino backflipped out of Staravia's path, causing Staravia to quickly get ahold of itself just before it hits the ground. I thought we really had it this time!

"Now we got it in sight!" She then said. "Use Last Resort!"

Audino's body started to glow a goldish-yellow color, and continued to get brighter and brighter. And it was glowing brighter and brighter, indicating that it was charging up power. Then, it let it all out in the form of a giant star, easily knocking out Staravia with one blow.

"No Staravia!" I shouted as I saw Staravia drop to the floor. Even if I knew there was no way that Staravia was gonna survive this attack, it's still sad that my newly-evolved Pokémon didn't make it to the end of the battle.

"Staravia is no longer able to battle!" Coach shouted. "Audino is the winner!"

As Coach was announcing Staravia's defeat, I began to run to Staravia. "Hey, you okay?" I asked as I picked it up. That was quite a blow from Audino, and the fact that it also defeated another Pokémon prior is good enough for me. I think I repeated myself right there.

The dark grey bird looked up at me and gave out a quiet chirp and nodded. I sighed of relief at that response as I started to walk back to my position. "Thanks Staravia," I said. "You deserve a good rest." And back into the Poké Ball Staravia goes.

"Your Audino can sure take hits well!" I complimented as I turned around.

"Same goes for Staravia!" Mrs. Laverty responded. "It sure held on very well! You don't see many Staravia like that!"

"Definitely," I said. "And I can attest that to be true since I was from Sinnoh, which is where Staravia are more common."

"Oh, I see!" Mrs. Laverty then said. "You'll have to tell me about Sinnoh afterward! I would like to know if I ever go there!"

"I'd be happy to!" I said. "And lucky for you, you're getting a taste of some Sinnoh Pokémon as I'm battling you! And it doesn't stop there! Shinx, you're up!" I then yelled as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out Shinx.

The gold and black Pokémon made its presence known as soon as it came out of its Poké Ball, managing to lower Audino's Attack once again thanks to its Intimidate.

"Well well, you got yourself a Shiny Shinx?" Mrs. Laverty asked. "That's a nice surprise!"

"Trust me when I say that I was surprised as well when I found it," I said. "I'll have to tell you how we exactly met afterward."

"Sounds like a plan! Audino, use Double Slap!"

Because Audino's Attack has been lowered three times, Double Slap really didn't do anything to Shinx. And I doubt Pound would do any better. Disarming Voice does a decent amount of damage, and if we can get it down before it can use Last Resort again, that would be great. But that's also kind of a stretch at that point. Anyway, Audino's Double Slap really hit three times. So, should it be called a Triple Slap at this point? I don't at this point.

"Now Shinx, use Charge!" I commanded.

Balls of energy started to emerge and go into Shinx's body, causing it to start charging. I hope there wasn't a pun in there that I was too oblivious about. Anyway, once the energy finished charging, sparks quickly flew around Shinx before dissipating, raising its Special Defense a bit.

"Audino, use Disarming Voice!" Mrs. Laverty called out.

There goes Audino once again, it using Disarming Voice. Even Mrs. Laverty knows its physical attacks really can't do anything to us now, so using her special attacks are really her own option at this point. Hold on, I just had something occur to me. If Last Resort did what it did, then how come I remember hearing that it's a physical attack?! What?! Now that just irks me.

"All right Shinx, give it a Spark!" I shouted.

Thanks to Charge powering up its only Electric-Type attack, Spark was able to do more damage than it normally would've.

"Audino, you alright?" Mrs. Laverty asked.

Audino turned back and nodded at Mrs. Laverty as soon as it got up, though all of that battling is taking a toll now.

"Good," She then said. "Then use Pound!" Ok, she's clearly trying to go for another Last Resort if she's calling out Pound despite the lowered stats. We gotta finish it now.

"Dodge it quick!" I quickly shouted.

Moving right to left, and all around Audino's body, Shinx keeps managing to avoid Audino's attack. Although it is a bit closer than I'd like, but we're still making this work.

"Now use Tackle!" I then commanded.

Shinx rammed into Audino with all of its might, but it still wasn't enough to finish it!

"Now use Last Resort!" Mrs. Laverty called. Not letting this happen again.

Since Audino was charging up its attack, I had to make up a pretty bold idea. We're not taking any more chances after this.

"Use Charge!" I said. Last Resort is technically labelled as a physical attack, so it probably won't do too much. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. However, Charge raises Special Defense, and not physical Defense. So we should be set. Now that I'm thinking about it, I should've called for Leer first then Charge. That way, Spark would've done enough damage to finish Audino.

As Shinx was using Charge, Audino shot Last Resort. Like I expected, it didn't do a whole lot of damage like I was fearing earlier. Now it's time to finish the job with this Audino for good.

"Now's our chance Shinx!" I shouted. "Use Spark!"

Shinx charged at Audino with all of its might, landing the boosted attack, and finally finishing it off. Thank goodness it's over with. But we still have one more Pokémon to deal with. Better not get greedy.

"Audino is no longer able to battle!" Coach shouted. "Shinx is the winner!"

"All right!" I shouted. "Great job Shinx!"

Shinx turned back to me and leaped into my arms. That was the first battle it ever won, and it was more than happy about the result. Mrs. Laverty couldn't help but crack a smile at us as she was putting Audino back in its Poké Ball.

"You two make quite a team," She said. "Shinx sure is pretty cute."

"That I agree on," I responded. "Audino put on a good fight as well. Quite a challenge that I wasn't expecting!"

"Thanks for that," She responded. "Just so you know though, this battle isn't over just yet."

"I'm fully aware of that," I quickly said.

"Good," She then said. "Herdier, let's show them what we mean!" She also said as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came a slightly larger dog Pokémon with very prominent eyebrows. Seems this puppy wasn't here to play at all. It meant business.

"Wanna keep going buddy?" I asked Shinx as I looked down at it.

Shinx firmly nodded at me and jumped out of my arms. Once it had done so, its Attack was lowered from Herdier. Seems it also has Intimidate for its Ability. First Staravia, then Shinx, and now Herdier. What's next?! This'll be interesting to say the least.

"Oh boy," I said to myself. "Shinx, start off with a Leer. Better start there then work our way up."

Knowing what the plan was, Shinx used Leer on Herdier, getting its physical Defense lowered a bit. Now we're basically where we were prior to Herdier coming onto the battlefield. Though I doubt it'll last for very long given my luck.

"Retaliate Herdier!" Mrs. Laverty commanded.

At the blink of an eye, Herdier hit Shinx extremely hard. Almost too hard. It wasn't even a critical hit either! That was crazy powerful right off the bat! If Herdier is gonna be hitting this hard for the remainder of the battle, then we're in big trouble. It was like Shinx went from being completely fine to nearly defeated in a matter of seconds.

"Ack! Shinx!" I shouted in shock. "You okay?!"

Though Shinx was seriously hurt after that hit, it was able to get up and nod at me. Albeit slowly. That Retaliate did a lot more than I thought. I understand that Same-Type Attack Bonus is a thing, even after hearing it from both Dad and in school just yesterday, but little did I know it would benefit that much. Was there an added effect to Retaliate as well? If so, would that explain why Mrs. Laverty went for that right away? I have so many questions right now.

"Do you wanna rest?" I then asked. After a hard blow like that, I don't wanna take any more chances. I could switch out then switch back in to get in the Intimidate, but that'd be a risky move.

But even after that, Shinx still wants to keep going. It really doesn't wanna go down without a fight I guess. While that is nice, it's risking itself as well. Though, I think Shinx is trying to come up with an idea that could potentially turn this battle around: Inflict paralysis with Spark. I think that's the reason Shinx wants to stay. If we can do that, then we might be in good enough shape for Chimchar to finish the job with ease. At least, I hope so.

"Ok then. Let's use Charge," I then commanded. While Herdier may most likely have physical attacks, it doesn't hurt to get that Special Defense up a bit more. It may not really matter in the long run, but better safe than sorry. Plus it'll give Spark an extra umph to it. If you know what I mean.

"Seems they're setting up," Mrs. Laverty said to herself. "Herdier, use Leer."

Just like that, Herdier used Leer on Shinx, lowering its Defense a bit. This is bad. One more attack and Shinx is done. We gotta hope that one Spark will do the trick for us. I usually never hold my breath for much of anything, but this is gonna have to be one of those things that I'm gonna have to.

"Please let this work," I said under my breath. "Shinx, use Spark!"

Going for what we're hoping for, Shinx gave it all it's got left into one of its last attacks before it gets knocked out. We only had one shot at it, so we had to make this last attack count. As soon as Shinx hit Herdier, I suddenly closed my eyes and covered my ears, then opened them a few seconds later. "Did it do it?" I asked under my breath.

Shinx was struggling to stay on its feet, but when I looked past it, I saw what I wanted to see: Herdier was paralyzed. Granted it won't be completely unable to move, but it should at least give us an edge. I hope so at least. But at least we got what we were planning for.

Seeing our plan being a success was so relieving though. I just couldn't help but let out a big sigh of relief from that.

"Well Ian, that was a pretty risky move, and it worked," Mrs. Laverty complimented.

"No kidding," I responded, still panting. "Too close for my taste. That was also a lot more dramatic than it should've been if I say so myself." Seriously, status conditions really aren't anything to be super excited or sitting on the edge of your seat for. Tell me, were any of you thinking the same thing? I'm sure many of you were.

"Couldn't agree more," Mrs. Laverty said. "Now Herdier, wrap it up with Take Down!"

In an all-out tackle, Herdier managed to easily defeat Shinx. But it flinched after hitting Shinx, and it seemed to be in a bit of pain. Could it be the recoil side effect of that move that Dad told me about? Anyway, as I saw Herdier hit Shinx, even I knew there was no way Shinx could take that. Herdier hits hard, and that one Leer did enough to let Take Down deliver the finishing blow.

"Shinx is no longer able to battle!" Coach shouted. "Herdier is the winner!"

Once again I walked to Shinx to hold it in my arms. Just seeing the little gold and black Pokémon in pain hurts me as well, even if it's totally normal for all Pokémon battles. But since I'm only a rookie Trainer, every single Pokémon that I catch mean a lot to me. "You okay Shinx?" I then asked as I was walking with it back to my side.

The little guy licked my cheek then tapped it with its nose as it basically cooed at me. A random thought just occurred to me: I should ask Jill to let Sunsil play with Shinx. I can see them getting along just fine, and it would be so cute to see! Better not get distracted as we're finishing up this battle though. "You were amazing Shinx," I said as I was rubbing its head. "You deserve a nice rest," I then said as I put Shinx back in its Poké Ball.

"Shinx put on a great fight!" Mrs. Laverty complimented, hoping to lift my mood.

"Thanks Mrs. Laverty," I responded. "Herdier is no slouch either. Definitely a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with."

"Thank you for that!" She said. "Now, will your final Pokémon be able to bring you victory?"

"That we shall see," I said. "It's up to Chimchar to finish the job now. We can't lose now, not when Shinx made the perfect setup for us to finish it off," I was thinking to myself. "All right Chimchar, it's all up to you now!" I then shouted as I called out my partner.

Once the fire chimp came out, it was ready for business. No more playing around. The time is now. Let's finish this. As a team. Together.

"So that's your final Pokémon," Mrs. Lavery said. "All right then! Herdier, use Tackle!"

Herdier immediately started charging at Chimchar, but Chimchar wasn't getting worried at all. It was hoping I had a plan up my sleeve, and boy do I have a plan.

"Dodge and strike with Dig!" I commanded. I'm hoping to land as many combos as I can so we can keep Herdier on its toes.

Letting Herdier get close, Chimchar then quickly dug a hole at the last second to get away from it. Herdier came to a complete halt, completely clueless as to where Chimchar could be. That's kinda funny. I clearly commanded Chimchar to dodge with Dig _and_ attack with the same move. But no matter where Herdier went, Chimchar would follow. So Mrs. Laverty will have to be creative to get Herdier out of this one, which she most likely will given that she's a Gym Leader after all.

"Keep your eyes peeled Herdier," Mrs. Laverty said. "Chimchar can appear from anywhere."

"Did you guys, like, not hear what I fully told Chimchar?" I jokingly asked. Unless they're fooling around with me, there's no way they could be that clueless. Plus Herdier is paralyzed, so its Speed is gonna take a hit no matter what.

As Herdier was looking around, trying to see where Chimchar would emerge, Chimchar rose from directly underneath Herdier, and gave it a pretty hard punch to the stomach. That seemed to do a pretty good amount of damage.

"Not bad at all!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Now Herdier, use Take Down!"

That definitely would've hurt, if Herdier was able to move in the first place. The paralysis is finally working. "Looks like it's not able to move," I said to myself. "Chimchar, now use Ember!" What I wanna try and do is to keep going back and forth between our physical and special attacks. I've seen that work pretty well in some of the Pokémon battles I've seen when I was young. Even the Gym Leader of Sunyshore City, Volkner, had a few Pokémon with that strategy in mind.

Firing Ember at Herdier, Chimchar made sure to give itself distance to make sure Herdier wasn't able to attack while it was close. If that made any sense to you that is. Sadly, since it is already paralyzed, we're not gonna be able to burn Herdier.

"You doing okay Herdier?" Mrs. Laverty asked.

Herdier did get up despite the paralysis, and was able to bark pretty loudly, telling Mrs. Laverty that it was still going strong. No surprise there. As long as we're one step ahead, we should be okay though. I feel like I've been repeating myself throughout this whole chapter. Maybe I have been.

"Fantastic!" She then said. "Use Tackle!"

Herdier was able to move this time and hit Chimchar relatively hard. Thankfully it wasn't a critical hit though. At least there's that.

"Use Flame Wheel!" I immediately commanded.

Since Herdier was still close enough, Chimchar was able to get in the damage quickly with Flame Wheel. The Same-Type Attack Bonus does seem to be helping a bit, but I doubt we're close to being done with this thing.

"Ok Herdier, use Leer!" Mrs. Laverty then commanded.

Once again, Herdier was able to move, and use Leer on Chimchar. This isn't good. Now that Chimchar had its Defense lowered, all of Herdier's other attacks are gonna hit a bit harder. We gotta hope a bit harder that the paralysis can delay it more.

"Now use Scratch Chimchar!" I said.

Without missing a beat, Chimchar scratched Herdier who know how many times. Though I doubt that was Fury Swipes. There should be a visual difference between the two moves. I'm thinking about this way too much.

"Hang in there Herdier! You got this!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Use Retaliate!"

Herdier went to move, but suddenly stopped by the paralysis. Good for us, bad for them. "Looks like it's not able to move!" I then said, watching Herdier struggle with the paralysis. "Give it another Flame Wheel!"

Chimchar did land another Flame Wheel, even getting in a critical hit as well. Hopefully we're almost done with this. I'm starting to get a little nervous about this if I'm being honest. I feel like my heart is beating out of my chest.

"Don't give up Herdier!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Use Take Down!"

Sadly the paralysis didn't stop it again, and Herdier was able to land a powerful Take Down. That definitely dealt a heavy amount of damage to Chimchar, along with the recoil damage to go along with it. Both Pokémon are struggling to keep going after those two blows. One more attack from either side, and this battle is over. I can just tell.

"Doing fine there buddy?" I asked.

"How about you Herdier? You okay as well?" Mrs. Laverty asked.

Both Pokémon managed to get back up and nod at their respective Trainer. Considering Chimchar hasn't evolved, and it's holding up this well against an evolved Pokémon like Herdier, that's surprising. Even for me despite me being Chimchar's Trainer. Chimchar hasn't even been out for long, and was able to take some heavy hits well, even after having its Defense lowered from Leer.

"Well Ian, I think we're nearing the end!" Mrs. Laverty said.

"That's what I was thinking as well!" I responded. "Herdier is hanging in there like a champ!"

"Thank you!" She said. "Now Herdier, use Tackle and wrap this up!"

"Quick, use Dig!" I said.

Chimchar quickly dug under the battlefield to avoid Herdier's attack. This is getting intense.

"Not going to happen again!" Mrs. Laverty said.

Being able to focus a bit better, Herdier was able to know the exact moment Chimchar was gonna pop out of the ground. Once it found that out, it was able to jump out of the way, avoiding Chimchar's attack.

"Nice one!" I said.

"You're doing good as well!" Mrs. Laverty complimented. "Now Herdier, use Tackle again!"

"Chimchar, use Flame Wheel!" I commanded.

Herdier might've missed the perfect opportunity to hit Chimchar, as the paralysis got it at just the right moment. That left it a perfect target for Chimchar to deliver the final blow, knocking it out with Flame Wheel.

"Herdier! No!" Mrs. Laverty shouted as she watched Herdier get hit by Chimchar.

"Herdier is no longer able to battle!" Coach shouted. "Chimchar is the winner! Which means the winner of the match is Ian the challenger!"

"No way," I said to myself. "Did we actually win that?! Chimchar!" I then shouted as I was running to pick up my partner in excitement.

Chimchar felt just as excited and happy as I was, as it leaped into my arms once it saw me coming. Everyone else were coming off the bleachers to come see us. Seems I do attract a somewhat large crowd after all.

Mrs. Laverty walked to Herdier to check on it, then walked over toward us. "That was a fantastic battle Ian!" She said. "You two were awesome!"

"Thanks Mrs. Laverty," I responded. "You guys definitely gave us quite the challenge. I enjoyed that!"

"I enjoyed our battle as well," Mrs. Laverty said. "I knew you were gonna be a tough opponent. And you proved to be one. So, to prove that you won here at the Portland Gym, here is your first Pokémon League Gym badge: The Neutral Badge," She then said as she handed the badge to me. It was literally a gray square with a Poké Ball logo in the middle of it. About as basic as it can get.

"It's so shiny! Thank you!" I said as I took the badge out of her hand. There was only one place I could store the badge: The badge case that was given to me when I registered for the Pokémon League. When I opened it up, the first cutout fit the badge perfectly.

"Now you got your first badge! That's wonderful!" Mrs. Laverty said. "Oh, and here," She then said as she was handing me something else. It almost looked similar to the cutout on the devices Team Space uses. Maybe that's what the cutout was for.

"What is that?" I asked.

"It's Normalium Z," Mrs. Laverty responded. "One of the many Z-Crystals found throughout the world. This allows you to use the Normal-Type Z-Move."

"That's cool," I said. "But, I don't have any sort of Z-Ring or whatever it's called."

"We can fix that," Mrs. Laverty quickly said. "Coach, if you please?"

When Coach approached me, he handed out an orange-colored Z-Ring to me. "There you go!" Coach said. "One Z-Power Ring just for you!"

"Really?" I asked in shock.

"You deserve it Ian," Coach said.

"Plus if you would like to get stronger, then knowing the Z-Moves are just what you need!" Mrs. Laverty added. "Put it on!"

"Go for it Ian!" Jill suddenly said behind me, causing me to jump. "You got nothing to lose!"

"Jeez Jill! Don't scare me like that!" I said as I turned around.

"Sorry!" Jill said as she giggled. "Couldn't help myself!"

I then simply sighed then put on my new Z-Power Ring. As soon as I put it on my wrist, it began to glow! Then about a second later, it stopped.

"Now you're all set to starting learning Z-Moves!" Coach said. "So go ahead and put in your new Z-Crystal!"

I nodded at Coach then took the Crystal out of Mrs. Laverty's hand, and put it into my Z-Power Ring. It glowed as well.

"It feels too good to be true," I said without even thinking.

"Face it, it's true," Mrs. Laverty said. "Now Ian, if you want to use the Normal-Type Z-Move in your battles, you're going to have to know the pose for it. Want me to show you?"

"Please?" I asked.

"Of course!" She responded. "Now watch carefully." The pose seemed to start the way Sara used her Z-Move, but things got different immediately. She made a front slash, bottom to top, and then made a Z with her arms. Again, bottom to top. "Just like that! Think you can handle that?"

"I'll simply try," I said. "Definitely gonna have to do some practice to make it work."

"Good idea," She said. "So, with that out of the way, do you know where you have to go for your next Gym?"

"Uhh," I hesitated and sweatdropped. "I really don't know..."

"That's ok," She said. "In case you forgot, your next stop is the Westbrook Gym. I heard that Gym was moved from another place somewhere."

"There was a Gym at an amusement park here in the state at one point," Coach said. "Maybe it got moved there."

"That's possible," Mrs. Laverty said.

"Wait, were you thinking about the Quassy Gym Coach?" Katie asked.

"That's the one!" Coach responded.

"Sweet!" She said. "We get to see Erin and Logan again!"

"Erin and Logan?" I asked.

"Erin was the Gym Leader of the Quassy Gym," Katie responded. "And Logan, her brother, was the Head Coach of the Showdown at the same place. I hope they're still there! I miss them!"

"Did you and Mike challenge them?" I asked.

"Yep!" She said. "They're great people! Just prepare yourself for Logan's surfer-like behavior."

"Noted," I said. "So, shall we head outta here?"

Everyone agreed and started to make their way to the exit, before we were stopped yet again.

"And Ian, if you would like to do your training here, don't be afraid to ask!" Coach shouted.

"Will do guys!" I said. "Thanks for everything!"

"Good luck!" Mrs. Laverty said.

Jill decided to invite me over to her house for a few hours so I can meet the rest of the family. Actually, never mind. Both of them were still at work. So we were on our own. To be honest, I'm surprised Leo isn't here. Though I shouldn't hold my breath about him not showing up.

But now that I have my first badge under my belt, it's time for training for the second Gym. Before I do that though, I want to see Jill take on the challenge she would like to take on. Maybe I'll talk to her about it tonight or tomorrow. We shall see what happens.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Well Professor Kukui's Z-Move Studies class really was something today. So Z-Moves originally debuted in the Alola region? Never would've guessed that. But there was something that caught Jill's attention: The State Trial Challenge and its connection to Alola's Island Challenge.

"These two Challenges have a lot more in common than you might think," Kukui started. "Both have the simple structure of travelling to various locations to challenge the various Trials and earn the Z-Crystals from them. There are also the Grand Trials, only found in Alola however."

"Why is that, Professor?" Jill asked as she was raising her hand.

"Since Alola is made of four islands, the last stop after you clear each island's Trial is to take on the Island Kahuna," Kukui explained. "However, because of where we are, Grand Trials are not needed. The same can be held true for the need of Totem Pokémon, which are the strongest Pokémon at each Trial, and the one you are aiming for when clearing these Trials. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"I get it," Jill said. "Do you have a minute after school so I can ask you a few more things?"

"Of course Jill!" Kukui responded.

After school had ended, I decided to wait for Jill since we were gonna head home together. It's quite interesting that Kukui started to mention the State Trial Challenge now even though Jill told me that she was gonna go for it a little while ago. But I'm not complaining. I could learn a thing or two before she goes for her first Trial.

"So what is it that you wanted to ask me Jill?" Kukui asked.

"Well, I'm planning on taking on the State Trial Challenge," Jill responded.

"Ah, that's great to hear!" Kukui said. "What about it do you want to ask about?"

"Do you just know a good spot to recommend for beginners?"

Man, this feels like it's going on forever. I'm not impatient, but Jill likes to fire so many questions at once. Yeesh. It's been fifteen minutes since she got here, and I thought she told me that she should be no more than ten minutes! I should've told her to meet me at the cafeteria after she was done talking to him!

Just as I was about to head to the cafeteria, Jill came out of Kukui's classroom. "Sorry I took so long," She said.

"You all set and ready to go register?" I asked.

"Yep," She responded as we started walking.

"So what did you have to ask him?"

"I wanted to know where I should go to for my first Trial."

"And that would be?"

"The Pokémon Middle Ranch in Middletown. He told me that many Trainers in the state go there for their first Trial. There were some things that I didn't even know about until he told me."

"Like what?"

"The Challenge was originally known as the Pokémon Showdowns, but it got completely redone this past year. And the very competition Trainers compete in to determine who's the best of the Challenge was redone as well; It was originally called the Top Conquerors competition. Now it's called Pokémon Ultimates."

"That sounds like a lot." Seriously, here I am, a young adult from Sinnoh, completely unaware that such a challenge existed before. The only "challenges" we had in Sinnoh were the Gyms and also the Pokémon Contests. "So, what else did he tell you?" I then asked.

"The only other thing he told me was the Trainer that wins the competition is now known as the Top Conqueror," Jill responded. "It was previously called the Grand Master. Regardless, they get to work alongside with Champion."

"Interesting," I said.

As we were wrapping up on conversation, we had just arrived at the main office. Like the Pokémon League, students who are going to be competing in the State Trial Challenge register at their school's main office. Again, why can't we just do that at the Pokémon Center?! Ugh.

Not even five minutes later, Jill was already registered, and she came back with something in her hand. "All set!" She said.

"Cool," I said. "What is that in your hand?"

"I was just about to get to that actually," Jill responded. "It's a Medal Case. The Medals are similar to the Gym Badges, as they're given to the Trainers that clear a Trial. And previously, you were only able to compete at Pokémon Ultimates if you were gonna do this Challenge, but now they let Trainers decide which competition they would like to compete in."

"Are there, like, any additional requirements if Trainers were to go for the Pokémon League through this Challenge?"

"Yeah. If I were to compete at Pokémon Ultimates, then I would have to collect six Medals. But if I were to compete at the Pokémon League, then I would have to collect eight Medals."

"I see. So, ready to head home?"

"As long as you're ready."

"Then let's get outta here. I'm spent for now."

Jill giggled at my comment as we were heading out. The walk home was about a half an hour. Sadly, none of our parents were home by the time we arrived, so I decided to ask Jill if she needed help training. She took me up on that, and we trained for about another half an hour.

"All right, I think we can stop there for now," Jill said.

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah," She responded. "I think we did enough training for one day. Don't you think so Sunsil?"

"Vul!" The little fox said.

"Are you sure that's gonna be enough for when you go to challenge the Trial?" I then asked with some concern in my voice as Shinx hopped into my arms.

"Definitely not, but I do wanna try and catch another Pokémon before I go," Jill responded after she paused.

"Well, what kind of Pokémon do you wanna catch?"

"Maybe some kind of Electric Type or something, like you."

"Ah."

After a brief moment of awkward silence, both of us sat down, next to each other on the grass. There was something that I just had to ask Jill ever since she brought something peculiar up while we were walking home. "By the way Jill, how did you hear about the Pokémon Middle Ranch in the first place?" I asked.

"Oh? Well, in short, I used to go there all the time when I was little," She responded.

"That must've been fun," I said. "What did you do there?"

"Many years ago, they had an annual week-long summer camp where the kids could partner up with a Pokémon, and do various activities during that time," She started. "Sadly, it had to be cancelled a few years ago due to lack of funding to keep the camp going." Jill then let out a pretty audible sigh. "I miss that place so much. It was so much fun. If only I could find a way to go there again."

That just gave me an idea. Remember back in the first chapter when my dad asked if I wanted to drive to the school? Well, I did get my driver's license when I turned eighteen. Maybe, just maybe, I can take Jill to the ranch so she can revisit her childhood. Matter of fact, that's exactly what I wanna try to do.

"I think we can arrange that," I said as I got up.

"Really?" Jill asked. "How?"

"Follow me!" I eagerly said as I grabbed her arm. Sunsil and Shinx quickly followed us into my house. "It's best if you don't take your shoes off," I then said as I was closing and locking the door behind us.

"Why? Jill asked. "What's this all about?"

I didn't even answer her, and walked into the kitchen to grab my keys from the kitchen. "Road trip?" I asked as I showed her my keys after turning around.

I could've sworn I saw Jill shed a tear, and she probably had her breath taken away as well. She then launched herself into me to give me a huge hug without even thinking. I definitely saw this coming, and was ready to catch her if she did.

"I'm assuming that's a yes," I said jokingly.

"That's not even a question!" Jill quickly responded. "Of course!" She added as she hugged me pretty tight.

Words can't describe how happy this makes me feel right now. We were hugging for almost two minutes, but it felt like an eternity to me. Not even my own parents can give me hugs that are this good anymore. But this. I can't even describe the feeling right now. It almost feels perfect.

Of course, we couldn't stay like this forever. Sadly. So we eventually let go of each other then start to make our way to the stairway that leads to my bedroom downstairs.

"Do you need to get anything from your house before we head out?" I asked Jill before we headed downstairs.

"I'm gonna go get my wallet just in case," She responded.

"Ok," I said. "Just to let you know, we're not gonna spend the entire day over there. Maybe just a few hours tops. Fair?"

"Fair!" Jill happily responded.

We then made our way downstairs into my bedroom shortly after that.

"Why are we going into your bedroom?" Jill then asked. "I thought we were heading out. And I need to go get my wallet as well."

"Did I ever tell you that we have to come down to my room to get into the garage?" I asked as I was opening the door leading to the garage.

"Oh, nope," She simply responded. "Not at all."

"Dammit," I said under my breath.

"That's ok," Jill then said after she had giggled. "We all forget sometimes."

Soon after Jill and I walked through the door and into the garage, I got the garage door open so I can pull out my car. Nothing fancy, but not a piece of junk either. Just a minivan from about ten years ago. Perfectly fine for my needs.

"Why don't you go get your wallet now while I pull out the van?" I asked.

"Good idea," Jill responded. "I'll be right back," She then said as she ran out of the garage. I can already tell she is much happier compared to how she was in school earlier today.

As Jill was at her house getting her wallet, I first drove the van out of the garage, then closed the garage with a remote I have in the van, and finally drove it to the end of the driveway. While I was waiting for her, I took out my phone and plugged it the charger I had in here since I use my phone as a GPS. While I was doing that, I put my phone on Do Not Disturb so no texts or calls come through while we're on the road. If that didn't tell you that I'm against distracted driving, then I don't know what will. Anyway, once that was finished, I put my phone on the mount that I had on the center top of the console so that it's not obstructing my view.

"Now I'm ready!" Jill said as she got in.

"Good timing," I said as I was still preparing my phone.

"Whatcha doing?" She then asked as she clipped in her seatbelt.

"Setting my phone up for the GPS," I responded. "Just gotta punch in the address and turn on navigation mode, then we'll be on our way," I then said as I was searching for the ranch.

"Cool!" Jill said as she was watching me fiddle with my phone. "I do remember where it is, so I can pitch in if I have to."

"That'd be great," I quickly said. "All right, looks like we're all set. Ready?"

"Of course I am!" She happily responded with a bright smile on her face.

"Then let's get going!" I said as I started driving.

Even though it only took fifteen minutes to get there, it felt a lot longer for some reason. Probably because we were chatting the entire way as I was driving. One particular topic we talked about was the Pokémon that was sitting in Edwin's lap as he and the others were watching my Gym Battle. Jill told me that Pokémon was called Sylveon, one of the various Evolutions of Eevee, or Eeveelutions as some call them. Also, I made sure that she notified her parents that she and I were gonna be out for a few hours. They were cool with it, surprisingly. Even though she's with Leo, they were still fine with her being with me as well. I get that they trust me, but I thought she had some explaining to do or something. I don't know. As long as we were back by a reasonable time, that's all they have to worry about really.

Once we got there, after paying the admission fee at the entrance, it looked nothing like I expected. Well, mostly. Of course there was a big open field, but it seems there are some other things that guests could do besides seeing a bunch of Pokémon. I'm quite impressed already, and we just got here!

Jill was eager to get out as soon as I parked the van. She was excited to be back, and I don't blame her. She hasn't been here in so long, and she finally got the chance to come back. "Ah, it feels so good to be back!" Jill said as she was getting out of the van.

I simply chuckled as I was getting my phone before I got out of the van myself and locked it. "All right, where do you wanna go first?" I asked when I finally caught up to Jill.

"Oh I don't know!" Jill said. "There's just so many things that I wanna do right now!"

"How about we walk around so we can decide together?" I suggested.

"That'll work," She responded. "Besides, it's your first time here. I wanna make sure you can get a good feel for the place, and I also don't wanna call all the shots."

"Fair enough," I said.

I swear, this really feels like we're on a date. I thought for a second I wanted to hold her hand, but I held back for obvious reasons. Yes, I legit like her, but I can't make my move just yet simply because Leo is in the way. Had he not been Jill's boyfriend, and this easily could've been our first date. Seriously. But I'll have to make sure that I don't mention any of this out loud to her.

Anyway, there a few rides here as we were walking around, which did surprise me. We did pet a few Pokémon along the way as well. Quite the place actually. I'm more impressed than I thought I would be, especially since there weren't any Pokémon ranches near Sunyshore City. They even have a freaking Pokémon Center here as well.

As we were walking, Jill saw someone that she instantly recognized. "Wait, is that who I think it is?" Jill asked herself.

"Who is that?" I asked her.

"That's gotta be one of the counselors from the camp," She responded as she started to walk to the woman she was looking at. "Clara?"

"Jill Hamson?" Clara asked as she turned around to face her. "Oh my goodness, it is you!" She then said as she and Jill hugged each other. "My, you really have grown since I last saw you! How have you been?!"

"I've been doing great!" Jill responded. "How about you?"

"I'm doing just fine, dear," Clara said. "And who's this young man? Is he your boyfriend?"

Both of our faces burned up, and we quickly answered "no" at the same time. Great. Someone else ships us now. Who's next?!

Clara simply giggled at our response. "You two seem like a cute couple," She then said.

"Clara, please stop?" Jill begged. "We didn't come all this way to get shipped."

"Don't worry, I was just kidding," Clara responded. "Anyway, what brings you two out here anyway?"

"Well, she wanted to come since it's been awhile since she was last here," I started. "As for me, I've never been here before since I'm from Sinnoh."

"Well that was sweet of you!" Clara said. "And welcome!"

"Hey, I just thought of something!" Jill suddenly said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Clara, are all the Pokémon we had for the camp still here?" Jill asked Clara.

"Of course they are!" Clara responded. "There's no way we were gonna give them up after the camp was done for! Would you like to go see them?"

"Yes!" Jill happily responded. "Please? I really wanna see them again as well!"

"Sure we can!" Clara said. "You going to come as well, uh..?" She then asked me.

"Whoops, I never introduced myself," I said. "I'm Ian."

"Well it's nice to meet you Ian," Clara said. "You going to join us then?"

"Don't see why not," I responded. "What kind of Pokémon did you guys have?"

"You'll see when we get there!" Clara responded.

"Before we head out," Jill said as she was heading to a stand that sold flannel-patterned shirts. "Why don't we wear these Ian? It would look good on you with your jeans!"

"Uh, I'm not too sure about that," I hesitated.

"If you don't like it, then I can give it to Leo," Jill said. "Don't worry, I'll pay for them."

"Fair enough," I responded. "Let me see what kinds they have first, cause that pattern does look nice."

After only two minutes, I did end up buying a green and white-colored flannel-patterned shirt, and had to put it on for Jill. Thankfully, they did have a fitting room in the back if I wanted to try it on.

"Wow, that looks better on you than I thought," Jill complimented. Now it was my turn to blush a little bit at her comment.

"How about you two wear these to complete the outfit?" Clara offered as she was grabbing two cowboy hats for us. "They're free for all guests after all."

"I think I'll pass," I said. "Thanks though."

"I'll take one!" Jill said as she was putting it on. "How do I look?"

"You look great dear!" Clara said. "What do you think, Ian?"

"I agree, you do look great," I responded. Jill blushed at my compliment almost suddenly. She looks very cute in the outfit that she was wearing. "So, what's next before we head out?"

"I think that's everything," Jill responded. "Though I don't see myself wearing this a lot anytime soon. But that's fine."

"Then let's get going!" Clara said as she started leading us to one of the gates that lead to the open field in the back. "They're over this way."

"Cool!" Jill and I both responded simultaneously.

We have been walking to the barn where the Pokémon were for about five minutes now. Jill kept firing questions about various things regarding the camp.

"Oh, Clara, where's Granny Sandy?" Jill asked as we were still walking. "She still working here?"

"Umm, who's Granny Sandy, if I may ask?" I then asked.

"Granny Sandy was the head counselor here," Clara started. "She was such a trooper despite her age. She just loved her job, and never wanted to retire, even after the camp was shut down. As for how she is Jill, I wish I can say that she's doing well…"

"Oh no," Jill said with a worried tone. "Did she..?"

Clara sighed before she started talking again. "Sadly, yes, she did pass away a couple years ago," She said. "I happened to be there for her final moments, and she told me something."

"What?" Jill asked.

"She said that even though she wasn't going to be here anymore, and if you ever stopped by, she said to never stop striving for your dream," She responded.

Jill remained silent for almost an entire minute before she finally spoke again. "I, I was really looking forward to seeing her again…" She started. "I wanted her to see how much I've grown as a person, and finally becoming a Pokémon Trainer. She cared so much about me in particular. She felt like a real grandmother to me."

"I'm sure she would've been really proud of you Jill," Clara said.

"She's right," I added. "Don't let this loss bring you down. After all, even if she is gone, you'll still be thinking about her. Am I right?"

I think my comment brightened her mood again, as she put a bright smile on her face again. "Yeah, you're right," She said. "And I'm sure the Pokémon will be thinking of her as well."

"Exactly," Clara said. "Good news is we're almost there."

Almost is right. We were finally there about a minute and a half later. You would think we could have the barn closer to the recreational area, or whatever it's called, but nope. Oh well. It does give the Pokémon more room to roam though, so there's that.

"Is the nostalgia hitting already Jill?" Clara asked as she was opening the barn.

"Already," Jill responded.

"If you don't mind me asking, what did you guys do during the camp?" I asked.

"Well, at the start, we had to partner with a Pokémon of our choice," Jill started. "Which are all in this barn, if you couldn't tell already. And we would do some fun activities, care for the Pokémon, go for walks, ride with them, and so much more."

"Nailed it!" Clara said. "Jill's been coming here ever since she was old enough to participate. And you were going to come when you were the oldest you could be, right?"

"Yep," Jill responded. "I never thought I would be able to see these Pokémon again after the camp was cancelled."

"Well that day has finally come for you!" Clara said. "Ready to see them?"

"Of course!" Jill responded.

"Everyone, we got a special guest!" Clara said to the Pokémon inside as she opened the door completely.

All of the Pokémon started to face the door when Jill walked inside. They were all excited to see her again.

"I'm back!" Jill shouted as she walked inside.

There were two particular Pokémon that made it to Jill first before anyone else got to her, which seemed to be both horse Pokémon. One of them looked pretty similar to Rapidash, but a bit smaller. The other was mostly black with white stripes all throughout, and had a resemblance of a lightning bolt in its mane.

"Ponyta! Blitzle!" Jill said as she started petting the two Pokémon at the same time. "It's so good to see you two again!" I could've swore she almost started to cry as she was having her moment with these two.

"Were these the Pokémon you went with for your partner during the camp?" I asked.

"They sure are!" Jill said. "I would always go for one or the other, whichever one was available. Even many years later, we still have quite a bond together."

"I can see that," I said.

"They were quite the inseparable group," Clara said. "Jill absolutely loved taking care of them, and didn't want to leave them, even after camp was done for the day. And Ponyta and Blitzle felt the same toward Jill. They made Jill felt like she was their Trainer."

"That's so nice!" I said.

"Hey, I just had another idea!" Jill said.

"Now what?" I asked.

"Clara, do you think it's possible if we can go for a ride?" Jill asked. "There should be another Ponyta that Ian can ride, right?"

"There should," Clara said. "Let me see if it's still here," She then said as she went to the back of the barn. "Ponyta? You still here?"

A second Ponyta then approached Clara, but this one looked pretty different. It had blue flames for the mane, its back had the normal-colored orange flames, then its tail was purple. I don't think I've ever seen a Ponyta with this color scheme. It looked amazing though.

"There you are!" Clara said as this Ponyta approached her to be petted. "Wanna go for a ride for a bit?"

Ponyta did nod as a yes, but was confused for some reason. Maybe it doesn't know who's gonna be its rider or something? I really don't know.

"Hey Ian, why don't you introduce yourself to Ponyta?" Clara asked me. "When you do, be sure to be gentle with it."

"Gotta make sure that it can trust me," I said as I walked over.

"How did you know that?" Clara asked.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Jill added. "How or where did you know that?"

"One of our friends has a Rapidash," I started. "Jill, have you met Lillie yet? Blonde-haired girl with a white skirt?"

"I don't think so," Jill responded. "She let you ride it?"

"I rode it with her since I've never ridden one prior," I said.

"Oh, I see," Jill said. "So do you need a brief lesson on how to ride one by yourself? We can do it for as long as you're comfortable with it."

"She's right," Clara added.

"I hope this is not interrupting anything that you were supposed to do Clara," Jill said.

"Don't you worry Jill," Clara said. "I'm what you could say the general manager here. But I have another position that's a bit more important whenever the time is right."

"And what's that?" Jill asked.

"I'll explain later," Clara responded. "Let's get Ian prepared first. I'm gonna need your help for a few things, ok?"

"That's totally fine!" Jill said.

The lesson wasn't all that bad. It was quicker than I thought it was gonna be, but I guess since I rode Snowflake already with Lillie, somethings were quicker than they could've been. The entire thing took about a half an hour, and they told me that they'll keep teaching me a few more things as we're on our ride.

"So how do you feel now Ian?" Clara asked.

"I think I got the hang of it finally," I responded.

"You feel comfortable enough for us to go for our ride?" Jill asked.

"Definitely," I responded.

"That's great!" Clara said. "Then I guess it's my turn to get ready," She then said as she tossed a Poké Ball. And what's the Pokémon she's gonna be riding? You guessed it: Ponyta. It already had its saddle and reins attached as it came out, so Clara was able to get on right away.

"I'll take the lead," Clara said as she mounted her Ponyta. "Jill, can you keep an eye on Ian as we're riding along?"

"Will do!" Jill said. "That okay with you Ian?"

"Fine by me," I said. "Good thing I have some experienced riders with me to help."

"Always happy to help!" Jill said.

"Then here we go!" Clara said.

This field continues to impress me. It's actually a pretty large hill that has a gradual descent. It wasn't all that steep, so the Ponyta were able to walk down it with no worries. I forgot to mention that Blitzle came along as well, even though Jill obviously can't ride it. But it still wanted to be a part of the ride, so she let it come along. These Pokémon really are attached to Jill. I just can't help but smile at how well they get along together.

Once we got to the bottom of the hill, we came across a forest in the back with a pretty clear trail. We followed that trail for quite a while until making a right turn, and came across a lake in the middle of the forest.

"Just coming here to this lake takes me back," Jill said as she got off her Ponyta. "So many memories were made here alone."

"It's a pretty significant place for you after all," Clara added as she got off her Ponyta.

"For sure," Jill said.

Then it was my turn to get off my Ponyta. I did it as slow as I could to make sure that I didn't do anything that could hurt Ponyta. "Thanks for that Ponyta," I said as I was petting. "That was so much fun!"

"Glad you enjoyed that!" Clara said. "Since we're here, why don't we let the Pokémon take a break for a bit. There is an apple tree somewhere over here."

"I'll go grab a few!" Jill said as she started to go find it.

"So, what did you guys do over here during the camp?" I asked Clara.

"Oh where do I even begin?" Clara asked herself. "Well, first of all, on her very first day of camp, at only six years old, Jill and I rode to this exact lake after the day had ended. She was with Blitzle as she was small enough to be able to ride it, and I was with the Ponyta that I still have."

"Were her parents worried that she was staying a bit after camp ended for the day?" I suddenly asked.

"Not at all," Jill responded as she was coming back with a bunch of apples. "I brought a bunch for everyone! I think we all deserve a snack break!"

"That sounds nice," I said as I grabbed two apples. One for me, and one for Ponyta. "Can Ponyta eat apples?"

"It's safe for them," Jill said. "Just make sure you feed it to them."

"Ok," I said. "You hungry?" I then asked Ponyta as I was handing the apple to it.

Ponyta sniffed the apple for a few seconds before taking a bite of it. Guess it was hungry.

"That Ponyta just ate not too long ago, so make sure you only give it a few bites," Clara said.

"Got it," I said. Then I finally took a bite of my apple. After swallowing my first bite, Ponyta and I looked at each other with basically the same expression. These were great apples. Seriously. "Whoa, these are awesome!"

"They really are good!" Clara said. "So, going back to what I was saying earlier Ian, we came to this lake like normal. As we were letting the Pokémon take a rest, a few wild Pokémon went berserk and started to attack us. During all of that chaos, Jill was defending Blitzle to make sure that it wasn't hurt. Even if it was the first day that she met it, she still really cared about it."

"Sadly though, I did take a few hits to my body," Jill added. "I kept saying to Blitzle that I would do whatever I could do to protect it, even when I was super young. And it saw me keep my promise then and there. During all of that, it wanted to return the favor, so it gave the Pokémon a nice and powerful Spark attack! Then we battled them off the property. I was blown away that I basically had my first Pokémon battle at such a young age. Regardless though, we became such best friends after that."

"Did you ever have to get checked for your injuries?" I asked.

"We did as soon as we left the ranch," Jill responded. "In fact, I still have a scar from that very day," She then said as she lifted her shirt to show me the scar on her stomach, just above her belly button.

"Jeez, that must hurt," I said.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Jill said. "If anything, it demonstrated the kind of Trainer I could become in the future."

"I was just about to get to that," Clara said. "She was such a tough girl back then. I don't think I ever saw a kid as tough as her."

"Clara, you're making me blush!" Jill said as she blushed. "That was over ten years ago!"

Clara and I both chuckled at Jill's response. "So, my next question is actually regarding my Ponyta," I then said. "Why are the flames like that?"

"That's what we're trying to find out as well," Clara responded. "We raised it from an Egg that was given to us."

"Where did the Egg even come from?" Jill asked.

"Well, might as well tell you the events prior to us getting the Egg," Clara responded. "So, last summer we had two very special visitors - The Champion, and the Top Conqueror."

"You're kidding?!" I said.

"They stopped here?!" Jill added.

"Right," Clara responded. "So I showed them this exact area, and the Champion let some of his Pokémon play during their visit. He had a Rapidash that had the exact color scheme of this Ponyta, and it was with another horse Pokémon. I don't even remember what it was called. It was so beautiful though. It almost looked like a pegasus, and it was even able to talk!"

"Wow," Jill said. "A talking Pokémon. That's something you don't hear about every day."

"What she said," I said. "Do you have any idea of what that Pokémon was called?

"Jeez, you're coming quick with your questions!" Clara responded. "All I remember it was Snow-something."

"Let me check," Jill said as she pulled out her Pokédex. "So if I filter my search for Pokémon that have the word 'snow' in the name, we could narrow it down," She added as she was looking through the search results. "Is this it?" She then asked as she was showing her Pokédex to Clara.

"Snowkey!" Clara responded. "That's it!"

"Let me see!" I said.

"Here, let's listen to it," Jill said.

" _Snowkey: The Frozen Pegasus Pokémon, and the final evolved form of Gallofreeze. An Ice and Fairy Type_ ," The Pokédex read. What the hell is a Gallofreeze? I'll have to look that up later. " _The wings of Snowkey are supposedly strong enough to hold a single person up to two hundred pounds each. Its ice-cold flames won't be able to freeze anyone that it trusts, and can even warm them up if they're riding on it. This Pokémon has also been known to have two very special forms_." So the Champion has this Pokémon? Neat!

"That sounds so cool," Jill said. "I wanna meet that thing in person one of these days."

"We all do, Jill," Clara said. "It was such a sweetheart as well. But going back to what I was saying, he let his Rapidash and Snowkey play for a bit as they went for a stroll. Once they got back, Snowkey told them that there was an Egg!"

"They were doing, that, behind his back?" Jill asked.

"He wasn't sure how to feel about it at first," Clara responded. "But he was understanding as Snowkey explained everything, telling him that it and Rapidash had an Egg. Sadly, I don't remember what it exactly told him, but that's what I heard."

"Would you get mad if I said I was having a hard time understanding that?" I asked.

"Yeah, like the way I see it, Pokémon would only seem to have an Egg if they're loving each other," Jill added. "Unless I'm wrong on that. Though to be fair, I did see a Pokémon pair have an Egg myself."

"Oh did you?" Clara asked in surprise.

"Yep," Jill responded. "It was just before I became a Pokémon Trainer myself."

"Oh that's nice," Clara said. "I have no knowledge of a Pokémon Breeder, so I did what I could do to help when the Egg hatched. The Champion and Top Conqueror even promised to help as well since it technically came from the Champion."

"How come the Champion or even the Top Conqueror didn't keep the Egg?" Jill asked.

"Well, it was pretty obvious for the Champion," Clara responded. "But the Top Conqueror didn't want to have repeat Pokémon with the Champion. Plus both didn't have any room to fit any more Pokémon. So they asked us to raise it here on the ranch. They did promise that they'll come visit to check on it every once in a while."

"That's nice," I said.

"By the way Ian, since you're still relatively new here, do you know who the Champion and Top Conqueror are?" Clara asked.

"Yeah, I know the Champion personally," I responded. "As for the Top Conqueror, I have no idea."

"Wait, how do you know the Champion if you've been here for a few months?" Jill asked.

"He's my cousin," I responded.

"You two are related?!" She asked in surprise. "How?"

"Well, my mom is the sister of my uncle, Mike's father," I responded.

"That makes sense now," Jill said.

"Yep," I said. "Anyway, who is the Top Conqueror, Clara?"

"Her name is Katie Clark," Clara responded. "She happens to be from Portland as well."

"No way!" Jill and I both said.

"So we've been hanging out with the Top Conqueror the whole time?!" Jill then asked me.

"Seems so," I responded.

"Well I'll say things have gotten interesting for you two," Clara pointed out.

"No kidding," I said. Then I looked over to my Ponyta, seeing that it was going to grab a drink of water from the lake. I looked at the other Pokémon nearby, and they were playing with each other. "Looks like everyone's relaxed."

"They sure do," Jill said.

As Ponyta was grabbing a sip of water from the lake, it heard some bushes rustling nearby, and it turned to those bushes.

"Something there Ponyta?" I asked, looking in the direction it was looking in. "'Cause I don't see anything."

"There it is!" Someone whispered behind the bushes. "Admin C, we found it!"

Now I'm getting concerned. Looks like some people were spying on us.

"Got it," Someone else whispered. "We're going in now."

"You guys heard that, right?" I asked to make sure I wasn't going insane.

"Don't worry Ian, we hear it as well," Clara responded.

Ponyta looked up and saw some sort of Poké Ball being thrown at it, letting out a loud whinnie before firing Ember at it, completely frying it. I didn't get a look at it at all, but I hope that wasn't a Cosmio Ball.

"Fuck, it saw it!" Someone whispered behind the bushes. "Then we'll try again!"

"I think we got some visitors," Jill said. "Chikorita, use Magical Leaf!" She then shouted as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out her partner.

Chikorita immediately fired Magical Leaf as soon as it came out of its Poké Ball, revealing who was behind the bushes. It was a pair of Team Space Grunts.

"Ah shit! That failed!" The male Grunt shouted.

"Who are those guys?!" Jill asked.

"Team Space," I said.

"That's them?" Jill asked.

"Unfortunately," I responded.

"So you're the goons from that group," Clara said. "What do you want?! And why are you trespassing in my Trial Site?!" Trial? Oh right! The ranch is a Trial as well!

"Well, since you did stop our sneak attack, we'll make it very simple," The female Grunt said.

"We're here for that Ponyta behind you back!" The male Grunt said. "So hand it over before we cause any harm!"

"You gotta be out of your mind!" I said. "Take something that was from my cousin?! Never!"

"Then I guess we'll have to force you!" The female Grunt said.

"I like that idea," The male Grunt said. "Pidgeotto!" He then shouted as he tossed his Cosimo Ball.

"Zubat!" The female Grunt shouted as she tossed her Poké Ball.

As expected from the Cosimo Ball being thrown, the Pidgeotto was modified. Its body was mostly gray while its hair was black. While it could look cool, it still doesn't look too good. And that Zubat had very fluffy fur, and it was a brighter blue than I expected. I never seen a Zubat with this kind of appearance.

"What's with that Zubat?" I asked as I pulled out my Pokédex.

" _Zubat - New England Form: The Bat Pokémon. An Ice and Flying Type_ ," The Pokédex read. " _The large, thick fur of Zubat has allowed it to survive even the most dangerous of cold weather. It can only be found in cold climates at night. In addition, this Form was a very recent discovery_." New England Form? What the hell does that mean?

"A Zubat?" Jill asked. "I thought you could only find those during the colder months.

"But what's with the Pokédex saying that it's a 'New England Form'?" I asked.

"You really don't know that Zubat has a Regional Variant here?" Jill asked me.

"Nope," I said. "Anyway, we should talk about that later."

"You're right," Jill said. "Can I help?"

"Sure," I responded.

"Take a rest for now Chikorita," Jill said as she put Chikorita back in its Poké Ball. "Sunsil, I need you!" She then shouted as she threw her other Poké Ball, calling out the Shiny Vulpix.

"Shinx, I need you as well!" I shouted as I threw my Poké Ball, calling it out.

As both Pokémon came out, both of their Abilities were activated. Both Zubat and Pidgeotto had their Attack lowered thanks to Shinx's Intimidate, and the sunlight got brighter thanks to Sunsil's Drought.

"Well this is going to be interesting," Clara said to herself.

"I'll take care of Zubat, and you can do Pidgeotto, ok?" Jill told me.

"Fine by me," I responded. "Shinx, use Charge!"

"And Sunsil, use Ember!" Jill shouted.

As Shinx was using Charge, Sunsil managed to land the first attack on Zubat, doing super effective damage.

"Use Wing Attack!" Both Grunts shouted.

Both Pokémon were flying in pretty quick. Shinx did manage to avoid getting hit without me telling it to dodge, but Sunsil wasn't so fortunate. Even though Sunsil was hit, that Wing Attack from Zubat didn't seem to do a lot of damage, so we should be okay.

"Now Shinx, use Spark!" I commanded.

Thanks to Charge, Spark did hit a bit more damage to Pidgeotto.

"Sunsil, use Tackle!" Jill commanded.

Sunsil ran toward Zubat and rammed itself into it, slamming it to the ground.

"Get up Zubat!" The female Grunt shouted. "And use Powder Snow!"

"Pidgeotto, you use Space Wing!" The male Grunt commanded. Space Wing? That's gotta be yet another move that Team Space came up with for their modified Pokémon.

That did a pretty decent amount of damage to Shinx even if it wasn't super effective, like it would've been on Staravia.

"You two okay?" I asked both of our Pokémon.

Shinx and Sunsil were able to get up with no worries, nodding at Jill and I in the process.

"Nice!" Jill shouted. "Sunsil, use Quick Attack on Pidgeotto!"

Without a second to lose, Sunsil rushed toward Pidgeotto and hits it somewhat hard.

"I thought you were just gonna do Zubat?" I asked Jill.

"Better mix it up to keep them on their toes," She responded.

"Got it," I said. "Shinx, use Tackle!"

The gold and black Pokémon rammed itself into Zubat with a good amount of force, landing a critical hit at just the right moment.

"Don't you think on giving up Zubat!" The female Grunt said. "Use Leech Life on Shinx!"

"And Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack!" The male Grunt called out.

"Dodge it!" Jill and I both shouted.

Both our Pokémon managed to avoid both attacks with no worries. Not like they would do much in terms of damage anyway I don't think. Better safe than sorry.

"Sunsil, use Heat Wave!" Jill commanded.

Coming to a stop to position itself, Sunsil blew a powerful Heat Wave, doing massive damage to Zubat, and even Pidgeotto. Thanks to the sunshine still being in effect, Heat Wave did get a boost, allowing it to knock out Zubat.

"Shit! Zubat!" The female Grunt shouted as she put it back in its Poké Ball. "You better win it now!"

"Not if we can help it!" Jill shouted back. "Ian, he's all yours!"

"My pleasure!" I responded. "Let's go Shinx!" I then said as I activated my Z-Power Ring. Then I did the same pose Mrs. Laverty showed me for using the Normal-Type Z-Move. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was gonna be actually. Though the pose does make me look a little ridiculous.

Anyway, Shinx then started to charge with even more power than it normally gets with Charge. Its Z-Power was charging up after all.

"HERE WE GO SHINX!" I shouted a few seconds later. Then Shinx's power was all charged up. Go time. "Let's give it all of our might! Breakneck Blitz!"

Shinx then took off like a Zubat outta hell at the blink of an eye, ramming into Pidgeotto like a semi-truck. That did enough damage to also knock it out, and make it back to normal. That caused the male Grunt's Cosmio Ball to break yet again.

"You gotta be kidding me!" The male Grunt shouted. "We were so fucking close!"

"We won't forgive you for this!" The female Grunt added. Then the two ran off somewhere. Hopefully nowhere else other than where they came from.

"Yeah, you better scram!" Jill shouted as the Grunts were running away.

"That was a fine battle you two," Clara complimented. "Great work! And that was a good Z-Move Ian."

"Thanks Clara," I responded. "Though, to be fair, that was the very first time I did it after doing some training."

"Well I think it came out just fine!" She responded. "And thank you both for helping."

"Anything to keep the Pokémon protected," I responded.

"It would pain me to see what Ponyta look like if it was modified," Jill added. "So, that was them, and what the modified Pokémon look like," She then said to me. "Quite a scary group."

"Seems you came across them a few times, right Ian?" Clara asked.

"Sadly," I responded."They even targeted my Shinx at one point."  
"Oh no," Clara said. "That must've been horrible."  
"It was hurt pretty bad when I found it, but was able to keep those guys away from it," I said.  
"That's good," Clara said.

"Guys, looks like the Pidgeotto is still hurt!" Jill said as she was running to Pidgeotto. "You okay Pidgeotto?!" She then asked as she picked it up.

Pidgeotto looked like it was still in bad shape after that battle, just like the Rattata and Eevee that I battled. Why is that?

"Why don't we take it to the Pokémon Center just in case?" Clara suggested. "I'm sure it's nothing severe."

"Good idea," Jill responded.

"I'll get a head start with it," I said as I put Shinx back in its Poké Ball. "It needs help right away."

"Why Ian?" Jill asked. "We can all go together."

"I, I just have to," I hesitantly responded. "You never know if the injuries are worse than they may seem. Please?"

"Ok," Jill said after she sighed. "Just be careful with it."

"I will," I said as I took Pidgeotto from Jill's arms. "Don't worry about a thing Pidgeotto, we'll make sure you get better."

Despite being injured, Pidgeotto still cooed at me and even cracked a smile. Then I got back on Ponyta and rode back to the Pokémon Center.

"Has he acted like this before?" Clara asked.

"A few times, but not to this extent," Jill responded.

"That's weird."

"Why?"

"Well, how long have you two known each other?"

"Less than a month. Why?"

"Well that's going to do me no good. Maybe something happened to him in the past that caused this behavior."

"You think so?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Just seeing Pidgeotto like that scared me like crazy. I couldn't help but still feel worried, even if I managed to get it to the Pokémon Center. I just can't sit still as I'm waiting for the staff to help the poor thing. After what had happened back when I was little, I feel like I should do what I can to try and help injured or threatened Pokémon. It's become a natural instinct at this point. As I was sitting in the lobby, I was most likely overthinking my thoughts. Like, did I make it in time? Are Pidgeotto's injuries actually not that severe? Like I said, I was overthinking it. But I can't help but feel very worried.

After about ten minutes of waiting (What felt like forever for me.), the staff came out with Pidgeotto, looking far better than when we first saw it. "Thanks for waiting!" The nurse told me. "Pidgeotto is doing much better now!"

"Phew. Thank goodness for that," I said. "Thanks so much."

"You're welcome!" She responded.

"How do you feel Pidgeotto?" I asked.

Pidgeotto rubbed its head on mine and cooed at me. That made me feel a lot better. I can finally rest easy. For now at least.

"That's great!" I said. "Ready to head back to the woods?"

Pidgeotto nodded at me then climbed onto my arm. "Have a good day!" I then said as I was heading to the exit.

"You, too!" The nurse responded.

"Ian!" Jill shouted as she and Clara were riding toward me. "Is Pidgeotto doing better?" She then asked as she got off Ponyta.

"It's doing a lot better now," I responded.

"Good to see that," Clara said. "Be careful when heading back to your nest, okay Pidgeotto?"

Pidgeotto cooed and jumped into Clara's arm to rub its head on her. Then it flew off in direction of the forest we were just at.

Once Pidgeotto was far enough to assume it's doing fine, we decided to let the Pokémon play with the Ponyta while we walked around the recreational area. Jill did only ride a few rides, while I stayed off the majority of them. She did convince me to do only one, and that was all I wanted to do. When it comes to amusement rides, count me out, as I have an extremely weak stomach.

After doing the rides for about an hour, and getting the Pokémon back in their Poké Balls, Jill and I were about to leave. Just as we were about to leave, we were stopped by Blitzle and the regular Ponyta.

"Huh? What's wrong you two?" Jill asked in surprise.

Both Pokémon started to cry once we saw their faces. Seems they were very sad that Jill is leaving. Even the special Ponyta was trying to grab my attention.

"Looks like they want you to stay longer," Clara said.

"I would love to, but we have to go," Jill said as she was petting both Pokémon. "I'll come back every now and then."

That didn't calm them down at all, as they gently bumped into Jill to knock her to the ground. Blitzle even licked Jill's cheek a few times!

"Hey! Stop that! That tickles!" Jill said as she was laughing.

"Looks like I was right," Clara said after she chuckled.

"Hey, I'd love to take you guys home, but I can't," Jill said as she pulled herself up. "Trust me, if I was allowed to, I definitely would."

"Well, I do remember talking to them a few weeks ago, and they basically told me that if you ever came back and became a Trainer, then they would want you to be their partner," Clara said.

"Really?" Jill asked.

"Yes," Clara responded. "Ponyta can't be caught here though as they have an important task for them."

"And what's that?"

"They're here for helping Trainers for the Trial we have here!"

"Oh, that's right! That's another reason why we came here!"

"Well, this is a nice surprise! You going to challenge the Trial today?"

"I'd like to, but I don't have enough Pokémon to challenge the Trial yet…"

"Oh. Well, I think we can fix that right now."

"Really? How?"

That's when Blitzle got up on its hind legs and touched Jill's hand. I think I know where this is going.

"What's wrong Blitzle?" Jill asked.

"Looks like Blitzle wants to go with you!" Clara responded. "It's practically begging at this point!"

"You sure?" Jill asked in concern. "I would feel bad for taking Blitzle with me."

"Normally, we don't allow Trainers to catch any Pokémon here, but since I am the Trial Captain here, I think we can let this slide," Clara said.

"Really?! You mean it?!"

"Of course sweetie!"

"Go for it!" I added. "Blitzle would be a great addition to your team!"

"You as well, Ian?" Jill asked me.

"Of course I do!" I responded. "You two make a perfect match. You did say that you wanted to catch an Electric Type after all, right?"

"True," She responded. "All right, I'll do it! Blitzle, do you wanna come along for the ride?"

Blitzle was jumping with so much joy after it heard Jill's offer. It couldn't be any happier to go with the Trainer it has known before she even became a Trainer.

"If you ask me, I think the answer is very clear!" I said.

"No doubt!" Clara added.

"All right!" Jill shouted. She then took out a Poké Ball and pointed it at Blitzle. "Well Blitzle, welcome to the family!" She said before she tapped the Poké Ball on Blitzle's head.

The Poké Ball still shook a few times in Jill's hand before it clicked, catching Blitzle.

"Well Jill, I guess part one of your mission is accomplished," I said.

"Definitely," Jill responded.

"So Jill, when do you think you're going to return to challenge the Trial?" Clara asked.

"I'm gonna need some time to do some training with Blitzle, first of all," Jill responded. "Do you think I can come back next week?"

"That's fine by me!" Clara said. "You coming as well Ian?"

"Well, I drove her here, so I really don't have a choice," I responded. "But I was gonna come anyway."

"Good," She responded. "Thanks for stopping by!"

"And thank you Clara!" Jill said. "It was great seeing you again!"

"Same to you," She responded. "And it was great meeting you Ian."

"Likewise Clara," I responded as we shook hands. "So, ready to head out now?" I then asked Jill.

"After I give one last hug to Ponyta," She responded. "You should as well."

She had the right idea, and I couldn't say no to a Pokémon I enjoyed being with for the day. I thought it was gonna be awkward hugging a Ponyta while standing, but it wasn't bad at all. Ponyta was nice and warm when I hugged it after all. If it hadn't for Team Space targeting this special Ponyta, and it not having a task to do in the Trial, then I think Clara could've let me take it home. Even if, I wouldn't be disappointed if I wasn't able to.

Jill and I left about two minutes later, with a new Pokémon for Jill in hand. Honestly, this day went a lot better than I expected. As we were driving home, Jill told her parents and Leo that she was challenging the Trial next week, and caught a new Pokémon as well. I told her that I'll help her with training if she wants to. She seems to be a lot more confident now than earlier today, which has me excited for her. Now for the real question: Will all of this preparation be enough? We'll just have to wait and see.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

It's only be about a week since Jill and I went to the Pokémon Middle Ranch, and she's already got a ton of training done. She was ready to go challenge the Trial after school. By the time I got home with Lillie, there was already a good number of people at Jill's house. We saw Elio, Selene, Katie, Sara, Hannah, and Edwin. Leo wasn't here though. Is he not coming for some reason? Oh well.

"There you guys are!" Jill said as she ran to Lillie and I.

"How'd you get home so fast?" I asked as I got off of Snowflake. "I could've sworn you and I left school at the same time."

"My mom took the day off, so she picked me up," She responded.

"That makes a lot more sense now," I said.

"Yep," She said. "Also, that's a really pretty Rapidash."

"Thanks," Lillie responded. "And I think this is our first time meeting each other."

"Oh, yeah!" Jill said. "I'm Jill!"

"It's finally nice to meet you Jill," Lillie said. "My name is Lillie."

"It's great to meet you, too!" Jill responded. "Ian's told me about you and your Rapidash before."

"Oh," Lillie blushed. "You didn't have to do that Ian."

"Well, sometimes I gotta brag about my friends," I said.

"You're too kind!" Jill said. "Lillie, is it okay if I pet your Rapidash?"

"Go ahead," Lillie responded. "Snowflake really loves meeting new friends."

"You named it Snowflake?" Jill asked. "That's such a cute nickname."

"Thank you," Lillie responded.

"No problem!" Jill said. "Hey there Snowflake," She then said as she was reaching her hand out to Snowflake. "Mind if I pet you?"

Snowflake sniffed Jill's hand before nodding at her. She looks like she's enjoying being petted by Jill.

"You're so beautiful," Jill complimented. "Lillie, is Snowflake a Shiny Rapidash?"

"Yes," Lillie responded.

"Knew it!" Jill said. "Oh, Katie and the others are here as well. Why don't you go see them?"

"That's a good idea," I said. "Gonna come as well Lillie?"

"I think I'll stay here with Jill," Lillie responded. "We'll catch up before we leave for the ranch."

"Ok," I said then took off for Jill's house.

"Ian!" Sara shouted as she saw me come into the living room. She then walked up to me to give me a hug. At first, I thought that was random since Edwin was here, but I remembered that she loves giving hugs to her friends. I definitely didn't mind that at all.

"Well, we got quite a crowd," I said as I returned Sara's hug.

"That's right Ian!" Dakota shouted from the kitchen. "You coming along as well?"

"How couldn't I miss a big day like this for her?" I responded. "I did help her with a lot of her training after all."

"And I thank you deeply for that," She said.

"Happy to help," I said. "So, when are we gonna head out?"

"We're planning to be outta here real soon. Make yourself at home for the time being."

"Cool. Thanks," I said as I went and sat down on the couch. We all chatted until it was time to head out finally.

"Ooh boy," Dakota said to herself.

"What's wrong Mom?" Jill asked.

"I don't think we can fit everybody in one car," She responded.

"I can take a few in my van," I said.

"Oh, that would be very helpful actually," Dakota said. "Thanks Ian."

"Anytime," I responded. "Now, who's gonna be going with me?"

"Selene and I can go with you," Elio said.

"Well, thanks for making my mind up for me," Selene said sarcastically.

"What? We agreed that we'll go together no matter who we go with," Elio said.

"I'm just kidding," Selene said.

"I think I'll go with you as well Ian," Lillie said.

"Cool," I said. "And I'm assuming everyone else is gonna be with Jill and Dakota?"

Everyone agreed, and a few minutes later, we were on the road. Dakota took the lead while heading there since this is for Jill after all. Plus she's been there more than I have. Once we got there, we weren't there to explore or do the rides again.

"I remember this place!" Katie said as she got out of Dakota's car. "Mike and I came here after we got back from our world journey. I wonder how that Ponyta is doing."

I wanted to play along with this conversation for Katie. Jill didn't tell her that we were here last week, and got to meet the exact Ponyta that she's thinking of.

"What Ponyta?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't think I ever told you," Katie started. "See, Mike's Rapidash and Snowkey had an Egg while we were visiting. We helped the people here raise the Egg and the Ponyta once it hatched. Turns out it had the same colors in its flames as Rapidash, which is blue for its mane, orange for its back, and purple for its tail."

"Really?" I asked, pretending to be surprised.

"Yep!" Katie responded. "Mike can tell you all about it once he comes home next weekend."

"Seriously?!" I asked, legit surprised this time. "Nice!" I was about to tell her that Jill and I heard about this story, but was caught off guard about Mike coming home next weekend. That got me excited.

As we were chatting, Jill went to find Clara then go register to challenge the Trial. That's new. I didn't have to register for my Gym Battle. Maybe that was added when Mike and Katie made the changes to the Trials. Perhaps to confirm that you're challenging the Trial or something. I dunno. It is what it is I guess.

"Ok! We're all set!" Jill shouted as she was heading back to us.

"Sounds great!" Dakota said. "Where can we go to watch you?"

"We can direct you to there Dakota," Clara said as she was walking to us. "Good to see you again!"

"Well Clara! It's been too long, hasn't it?" Dakota said.

"It sure has," Clara responded. "Is it okay if we catch up after Jill challenges the Trial?"

"Totally fine!" Dakota responded.

"So Jill, do you need a few minutes to get yourself ready?" Clara asked.

"Probably," Jill responded.

"Ok then," Clara said. "Come to the Trial Site when you're ready."

"Got it," She said.

Even if I've been here before, I didn't know where the Trial Site is. Unless I'm being stupid or something and didn't realize I've been on the Site before. That could be the case as well. Hopefully Jill knows where to go though. Considering that she's been here a lot more than I have, I really have no reason to worry after all.

As Jill was finishing up her preparations, I grabbed everyone a few snacks for us to eat as we watch. No matter if it's sports, a concert, a movie, or something else, I always gotta have a snack and a soda. Or else I can get very fidgety. Just ask my parents. They would've said the same thing.

Once we finally got to the entrance for the Trial Site, I called myself a dumbass in my head, as it was the exact same forest we rode to last week. And there is even a gate at the entrance to boot, which I completely missed last time.

"Are there any bleachers?" Selene asked out of nowhere.

"There should be," Jill responded.

"Well, would you look at that, the whole crew came!" Clara said as she was coming back to us.

"Seems so," Jill said. "Are there any bleachers for everyone to sit at so they can watch?"

"Sadly, there aren't," Clara responded. "Because the main part of the Trial is in this forest, it can be pretty difficult to see. So we set up cameras around the forest and a theater nearby so you guys are still able to watch. In addition, there are bleachers up the hill near our battlefield."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is there a battlefield back there if the Trial is here?" Elio asked.

"I can answer that one," Katie responded.

"Oh Katie!" Clara said in surprise. "I wasn't expecting you to back so soon! And I didn't realize you were with them as well."

"That's ok," Katie said. "I should've spoken up a bit sooner. Anyway, I'm sure some of you guys know this Challenge used to be the Pokémon Showdowns, right?"

All of us nodded to Katie's question. Even Elio and Selene heard about this Challenge before, which kinda surprised me.

"That's good," Katie started. "So, all Trials are required to have a separate space for the main part of the Trial, and a battlefield in another spot for the end of the Trial. That's where the Challenger gets to have a battle with the Trial Captain, and hopefully complete their Trial and collect the Medal."

"Leave it to the expert," Dakota bluntly said.

"Well, just so you know, I am the Top Conqueror," Katie responded.

I could've swore Dakota almost flipped her lid. This is probably her first time meeting Katie. Can't blame her for being surprised though.

"Well, pardon my sass," Dakota quickly said after she calmed down.

"Don't worry about it," Katie said. "I've dealt with worse."

Clara couldn't help but laugh a little bit at this conversation. "Anyway, you ready to get started Jill?" She asked.

"Definitely!" She responded.

"You got this Jill!" I said.

"Thanks Ian," Jill responded. She and I then high fived each other before she walked in with Clara.

"Good luck!" Dakota shouted as Jill and Clara were heading into the Trial Site. "So, where's that theater Clara was talking about?"

"Follow me," Katie said.

So we followed her to the theater that Clara mentioned. It looked more like a shed to me. Then again, I have no idea why I was expecting it to be, like, the size of a movie theater. But it is convenient given how thick the forest is. That's not as rude as it sounds.

Once we got there, Leo happened to be waiting for us. Dammit. I was low-ley hoping that he wasn't able to show up. Guess he did get time off from work after all or something.

"There's the crew!" Leo shouted as he saw us coming in.

"Oh, Leo!" Dakota said. "You were able to make it after all!"

"I knew this was something that I didn't want to miss," Leo said. "Ah Ian, we finally meet again. Doing fine?"

"Doing fine indeed," I responded. "I'm assuming you're about the same?"

"You got it dude," He said. "Heard you and Jill are getting along very well."

"Yeah," I said. "And your point is?"

"I was just making sure! Why are you seeming like you're on edge or something?"

"It's nothing. Really."

"Ok."

He's so lucky that there are other people with us right now. I think he can tell that I have a crush on Jill. Sigh. I do wish I was a bit more subtle when it comes to my feelings for her, but it seems she's being oblivious about it. Let's hope that's the case.

We didn't go that far into the forest yet before we were met by the same exact Ponyta that I was with last week. Oh now I remember. Clara said that Ponyta has an important role for the Trial here. So, it looks like I get to ride Ponyta again, though it won't be for fun this time. And it looks like the special Ponyta that Ian rode is not being used for the Trial.

"All right Jill, time for you to know your objective for this Trial," Clara told me. "You and Ponyta are going to be riding around the forest to look for some Berries. Which are a Leppa Berry, a Sitrus Berry, and a Lum Berry. Got that?"

"Yep," I responded. "So, I guess you can say we're looking for berry-ed treasure?" I normally don't do bad puns, but I know when is the right time to do so. I heard from Katie that Mike had some terrible puns, and given how bad some of Ian's puns have been, we're gonna be in for a long haul.

"Ah, I should've saw that one coming," Clara said after she groaned at my pun.

"In all seriousness, do I have a time limit while looking for the Berries?" I asked.

"No," Clara responded. "And here," She then said as she handed a shoulder bag. "Take this so you can carry the Berries around."

"Cool," I said as I put the bag on. "Do I need to collect a certain number of each Berry?"

"Try and grab at least three of each. Also, don't think you can just go up to a Berry and grab it; Wild Pokémon could be guarding them. You'll have to rely on your own Pokémon to battle them."

"Got it. Where do I go after I got all the Berries?"

"Then you come back here to show me that you collected the correct Berries. Any additional questions before you get started?"

"I think I'm all set for now."

"Then hop on Ponyta, and let your Trial begin!"

"Great! You ready Ponyta?"

Ponyta gave me a big smile and nodded at me, then I got on, and we rode further into the forest. The fact that I'm able to ride this Ponyta again alone makes me excited to challenge the Trial. But of course, this is not for fun and games. That being said though, Ponyta and I have known each other for a long time, so we should be able to work together with no worries.

The first Berry that we went to look for was the Leppa Berry. Since we had no sort of directory of where to go to find them, we had to find them on our own. Ponyta and I decided that we don't have to find them in the order that Clara listed the items, and pick up whichever ones we come across. But those Leppa Berries were pretty secluded. So, we started at the waterfall that was near the lake that we rode to last week.

I've only seen this waterfall a few times in the many times I've been to the ranch. That's how secluded it is. I was only able to see it because I was on Ponyta's back, so I got a better view of what I was seeing. Once we got to the waterfall, we saw the tree that the Leppa Berries were growing in. When we got to the Leppa Berry tree, we found a Mareep near the tree. Looks like this is one of the Pokémon I'm gonna have to battle if I'm gonna get those Berries. But just in case, I'll talk to each Pokémon to make sure I don't battle the wrong one.

"Wait right here Ponyta," I said.

Ponyta did come to a complete stop at a safe distance from the tree, so if Mareep were to launch an attack, it'll be safe from it. Though I do hope that Clara did something so that the wild Pokémon don't attack Ponyta. Since I can't battle with it, I don't wanna see it get hurt.

I got off of Ponyta, and started to slowly make my way to the tree. "Hey Mareep," I started. "I'm just here to grab a few Leppa Berries. Hope you don't mind."

Well, that didn't exactly get me out of a battle, as Mareep jumped in front of my path to the tree. Looks like this is my first battle for the Trial. And no matter how many wild Pokémon challenge me, I'll have to battle them all as stated by the rules.

Sunsil was able to handle Mareep without too much trouble. We then walked to the tree and grabbed a few Leppa Berries. I grabbed a few spares so I can let my Pokémon eat a few after we're done with the Trial, as they'll most likely be hungry by that point. So it's best if I grab snacks since I have the chance. After we got the Leppa Berries, I put Sunsil back in its Poké Ball, and got back on Ponyta to look for our next Berry: The Sitrus Berry.

We decided to start at the other side of the waterfall, but sadly no luck over there. So we went toward the lake next. Nothing there either.

"Nothing here, either?" I said to myself. "Man, you would think it would be pretty easy to find them given their size and color. I thought the Lum Berries were gonna be hard to find since they're green as well. Do you see anything Ponyta?"

Ponyta shook its head at me, telling me no.

"Oh well," I sighed. "Let's keep going. There has to be another part of the forest we haven't looked in yet."

We went a little deeper, and came across a giant pile of Sitrus Berries under the tree that they grow in. It was pretty big.

"Whoa," I said in surprise. "What's with the giant pile? I could've easily gotten a few from the tree. Wait right here Ponyta," I then said as I got off of Ponyta and started walking to the tree.

I did grab only like one or two before I heard barking in the distance. When I looked in the direction it was coming from, there was a Pokémon charging right at me! I didn't even have time to observe what kind of Pokémon it was; Wanted to make sure I got out of its way before I got hurt. So I jumped out of the way, and got a better look at what the Pokémon was. It was a Herdier.

"Looks like I'm not gonna get any of these easy," I said to myself. I then looked back at Ponyta and nodded at it. Ponyta took a few steps back so that it didn't get caught in the middle of this battle.

Herdier wasn't too hard either. Blitzle came in handy for that battle. Before we took off, I fed Herdier one of the Sitrus Berries so it can feel a little better. Once Herdier took off (And grabbing a few Sitrus Berries to put in the bag.), I put Blitzle back in its Poké Ball, and got back on Ponyta so we can go look for the Lum Berries.

Because the color of the Lum Berry is very similar to the grass, and since we're shaded from the sunlight, I decided to retrace our steps so we can look for them a bit easier. As well as take any paths that we may have missed when we were looking for the other Berries.

As we were riding around, we came across an open area in the forest, with a tree in the middle. Quite unusual for me. Possibly because I never came to this part of the forest, even when I was young. "I don't think we ever came to this part of the forest before," I pointed out when Ponyta came to a stop. "Wait, what's in that tree?"

Ponyta then started walking toward the tree, and I got off as we got closer. There was nothing under the tree, so I had to look up to see if it there was anything. We've been looking for almost a half an hour for the Lum Berries, so it would be very nice if they were right here. Even though it would be a little weird that the Lum Berries would be nowhere near close to the other Berries. If we had to look for Oran Berries instead, then we might've already been battling Clara right about now. But this is fine.

Guess the Lum Berries are here after all. They blended with the tree very well, almost like they were camouflaging. But they were not close enough for me to reach with my hands, or even when I'm on Ponyta, so I had to actually climb the tree so I can get to them. Yeah, I could've had either Chikorita or Sunsil get them since they can get around trees a lot easier than I could, but I wanted to challenge myself a bit. Before I started to climb, I asked Ponyta to stand close to the tree so it can move in to catch me in case I fall.

So far, no Pokémon has showed up to challenge us. That's weird. You would think one should've been here by now. Is this area really that hidden? But I didn't wanna worry about that as I was climbing. So I managed to get five Lum Berries, and put them in the bag before climbing down.

As I was about to get down, a pretty faint noise startled me enough to lose my balance and fell off the tree. Thankfully, Ponyta was right there to catch me, and I was far down enough that it didn't cause any pain to Ponyta or to me.

"What was that?" I asked as I grabbed ahold of myself, looking in the direction of where the sound came from.

When I looked for where the sound was coming from, there seemed to be a silhouette in the background. Possibly a Pokémon, but I had my guard up in case it was something else.

"You see that as well?" I asked Ponyta.

Ponyta nodded as it was looking in the same direction as me. As the silhouette was getting closer, we started to hear footsteps. Once it was finally close enough, we got a good view of what was coming. It was a Miltank.

"All of that came from a Miltank?" I asked myself in surprise. "Looks like it just came back from a nap." Seriously, this thing looked pretty tired.

Miltank then pointed right at me, then pointed at the tree, and pointed back to me before pointing at itself. I was getting what it was trying to tell me.

"Let me guess: You wanna battle?" I said.

Looks like I guessed right. Miltank then went for what looked like a Rollout, and charged right at us!

"Look out!" I shouted.

Ponyta ran as fast as it could to avoid Miltank's attack. Being a Rock-Type move, Ponyta would take some massive damage from it since it is a Fire Type. Seems Ponyta was trying to talk to Miltank, but it wasn't doing any good. Both of us are vulnerable as there was basically nowhere to hide and stop Miltank. I get that it wants to battle, but this is not the way a battle should start.

"Running around like this isn't gonna do us any good," I said to myself. I was legit stumped right now. I really didn't know what to do to stop Miltank. Ponyta can't keep running away like this forever, as it will get tired. What would Leo or even Ian do if one of them were caught in this situation? What should I do? Wait, I think I got an idea. We'll have to get Miltank crash into the tree. That seems to be our only option to stop its Rollout. I could send out either Blitzle or Chikorita to stop it, but I'd rather save their strength for the actual battle. "Ponyta, I got an idea. Stand right in front of the tree, use your Ember when Miltank is in our path, and jump out of the way when it's close. I know I can't battle with you, but I think this is a good situation to have you use your moves. You up for it?"

Ponyta nodded at me then went towards the tree. Miltank was coming in fast, so timing was crucial for this plan.

"Do it!" I shouted.

Miltank was in range, so Ponyta quickly fired Ember at Miltank. It seems silly to use a Fire-Type move against a Rock-Type move, but Ember does have a chance of burning the target. So if we can burn it, then we'll be in better shape. Granted, Miltank does have access to the Lum Berries, but I wanna make sure that Ponyta _and_ I get out of this in one piece.

Seeing that Ember didn't burn Miltank, Ponyta quickly jumped out of the way. I held on pretty tight. So tight in fact that I felt my nails digging into my skin slightly even though my hands were still holding the reins. But I had to make sure I wasn't basically pulling on them at all so that I didn't accidentally pull hard enough to hurt Ponyta. It's bad enough that we're being attacked by a Pokémon I was supposed to battle for this Trial, and me accidentally hurting Ponyta would only make matters worse. This is intense. Very intense.

Regardless, we got out of that in the nick of time, and there was a loud thump. Then we heard rustling behind us. Miltank did crash into the tree, and was covered in leaves.

"You ok Miltank?" I asked once I got off of Ponyta.

Miltank did get up and shook the leaves off, then nodded at me.

"That's good," I said. "You still wanna battle?"

Miltank nodded again. Thankfully it didn't go for the Rollout once again. So I actually had time to prepare myself.

That battle wasn't tough at all. I started with Chikorita so I could use Poison Powder, then switched to Sunsil to finish the job. Miltank did offer us to try some of its milk, and while I would've loved some, we had to get going. We weren't on a time limit, but we were here for a lot longer than I would've liked.

"So, wanna head to the lake so you can take a break?" I asked Ponyta as I got back on after returning Sunsil to its Poké Ball.

Ponyta liked that idea, and we rode back to the lake. Even though we're still in the middle of the Trial, I'm having a really fun time, and not just because I get to ride Ponyta again. My parents never did the Trials back when they were the Showdowns, so this is definitely a new experience for the family.

Once we got back to the lake, I went to go look for apples since both of us were getting a little hungry. When I got back, something didn't look right with Ponyta, as I saw a slight worried look on its face.

"Ponyta, what's wrong?" I asked. "Do you not feel good?"

Ponyta nodded at me. But it didn't seem to be moaning or groaning, so hopefully it's nothing serious.

"Will you be okay until we get back?" I then asked.

Ponyta nodded at me once again. Seems it doesn't wanna stop just yet.

"You sure you don't wanna take a longer rest to see if the feeling goes away?" I asked. I was pretty concerned that Ponyta could get sick during our Trial, so I had to prepare myself to jump into action if I have to.

But the fire horse wanted to keep going, despite it not feeling good. Might as well see what's bothering it so I know what I'm dealing with here.

"Even if you don't wanna rest, I need to know what's making you feel sick at least," I said. "So, does your stomach hurt?"

Ponyta did slightly nod, but it picked up one of its legs and shooked it. So, probably middle of the road pain.

"In that case, do you feel nauseous?" I then asked. "Or do you feel like you're gonna bottom out?"

Seems Ponyta can't tell what's gonna come out of this stomach ache. Maybe I should get it something to eat to ease the pain.

"Here, have a Sitrus Berry," I said as I was getting one of the Sitrus Berries out of my bag.

One bite by one, Ponyta was working down the Sitrus Berry, albeit slowly. But I'd rather have it eat at this pace than eat very fast.

Once Ponyta finished its Berry, I decided that we should take a rest so that the pain can go away hopefully. I was about to ask how it could've fallen ill like this, but I wouldn't understand a word it would be telling me since I obviously can't understand Pokémon language.

We rested for about twenty minutes, and Ponyta seemed to be doing much better. Looks like we can head back now.

"Whew, thank goodness it was only minor," I said. "Ready to head back?"

Ponyta happily nodded at me, and turned its side to me, queuing me to get on. So I got back on Ponyta's back, and rode back toward Clara.

"Clara!" I shouted as we were riding in.

"Oh? There you guys are!" Clara said. "How did you do?"

"There were a few bumps in the road, but it went alright. Can you check Ponyta for me? It didn't feel so well for a bit while we were making our way back, and I wanted to double-check with you."

"No problem at all," Clara responded as she was checking Ponyta. "So what did you do to help it get better?"

"I gave it a Sitrus Berry and let it rest for a bit, if you didn't mind," I said.

"That's totally fine, as long as you still have enough to pass my inspection."

"I'm sure we do. I only needed to use one from my stash, and it was doing just fine after a bit of rest."

"That's great to hear. So, how do you feel right now Ponyta?"

Ponyta was jumping for joy as its response to Clara's question. That makes me feel better as well, knowing that we avoided a Pokémon getting sick during something important.

"Do you want to go back to the barn and get some rest?" Clara then asked. "Seems you're getting pretty tired." Even I can tell that Ponyta was looking pretty exhausted. I was trying to make sure that I wasn't pushing it too hard.

Ponyta nodded again, then looked at me and rubbed its head on my cheek. I couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Ok Ponyta, you can stop now," I said as I was laughing. "You were fantastic in helping me. So you deserve to take a break. Thank you."

"She's right," Clara added. "Jill, do you have any idea of how Ponyta started to not feel good?"

"No idea," I responded. "It told me that its stomach wasn't doing too good, but a Sitrus Berry and a little rest did enough to help it get better. Did it eat anything that it wasn't supposed to?"

"No," Clara responded. "That was a bit weird, but at least it's feeling better now."

"That's for sure," I said.

Five minutes later, we found someone to take Ponyta to the barn for us. Now it's time for Clara to inspect my bag so that we can have our battle. It's a moment that I've been looking forward to for years now.

"So Jill, you ready for me to inspect you?" Clara asked.

"Ready!" I responded as I took off the bag. "Here you go!"

"All right, let's see what you were able to pick up," Clara said as she grabbed the bag and put it on the ground to check it. "Leppa Berries, check. Sitrus Berries, check. Lum Berries, check! Fantastic Jill! That's an easy pass for you!"

"Sweet!" I shouted.

"You know what that means now, right?" Clara then asked.

"You bet!" I responded. "I've been looking forward to this since I first came here!"

"Just as I expected! Do you want to go get your friends and family before we start?"

"Definitely. This is gonna be a battle that they can't miss."

As Clara was heading to the battlefield to wait for us, I made my way back to the theater to get everyone. Mind you I was trying extremely hard to contain my excitement right now.

Seems Clara turned off the monitors when she got to the battlefield. When Jill walked through the door, she had quite possibly the biggest smile that I've seen from her since I probably met her. I was blown away at just how adorable she looked. This caused me to blush a little bit. I'm so hoping she or Leo didn't notice that.

"You ready for your battle sweetie?" Dakota asked.

"You bet I am!" Jill responded.

"You're gonna be great!" Sara said.

"What she said," Leo added. "Make it a good one."

"Will do," Jill responded then she hugged Leo. "Come here Ian, I know you want a hug as well." She read my mind. I wasn't even gonna ask, and I would've hugged her after the battle! Eh, I was gonna do that anyway, regardless of what the outcome of this battle will be.

So we made our way to the bleachers that were set up near the battlefield. Clara and Jill made their way to their respective sides. Both of them were very excited and determined about this battle. Even I'm getting excited to see this.

While we were making our way there, Leo asked me a few questions regarding our visit last week. Seems he was quite thankful that I helped Jill with her training, and even giving her the opportunity to reunite with a Pokémon she met in her childhood. I really thought he was gonna let me have it after taking her somewhere on my own. But I'm keeping my guard up. I still don't trust him for some reason.

"So, Jill, hope you're ready," Clara said.

"I've been ready for this moment Clara," Jill responded. "Ever since I became a Trainer, I've been wanting to have a battle with you. And I finally got the chance to do so."

"You sure are confident. I like that. Trevor, care to start us off?" Sounds like this Trevor is gonna be the referee for this battle if she asked something like that. Alrighty.

"I would love to," Trevor said as he was going to the center of the battlefield's sideline. "The final part of the Middletown Trial will compose of a battle between Clara the Trial Captain, and Jill the challenger! This battle will be a three-on-three, and whoever has no Pokémon left first will lose. Challenger, you are allowed to substitute your Pokémon if you need to. Once you two are ready, then bring your Pokémon out, and let this battle begin!"

"All right Flaaffy, let's get to work!" Clara shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Out came a mostly pink and white Pokémon with some black stripes, and a blue orb at the tip of its tail. I gotta say, it does look pretty cute. Also, is it bad that I was expecting Clara to use a Blitzle of her own? I guess you can say that I was shocked that that wasn't the case. Haha! I regret nothing with my puns!

"This is actually happening," Jill said to herself. "All right. Let's do this," She then said after taking a deep breath. "Sunsil, come on out!" She shouted as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out the Shiny Vulpix, and activating Drought.

"All right Trainers, you are good to get started!" Trevor shouted.

"Sunsil, let's start things off with Ember!" Jill commanded.

In hopes of getting the first attack, Sunsil quickly shot Ember, doing a decent amount of damage to Flaaffy thanks to the boost from Drought.

"Flaaffy, give them a Thunder Shock!" Clara shouted.

Flaaffy shot back its Thunder Shock after gaining traction from being hit from Sunsil's Ember. It did seem to do some decent damage, though I've heard that Thunder Shock isn't the strongest of moves, even for Pokémon meant for the beginners. At least, according to my dad.

"Use Ember again!" Jill called out.

"Dodge it Flaaffy!" Clara quickly shouted.

Flaaffy waited for Sunsil to fire its attack before moving, and it got very close to it. It looked like Flaaffy wasn't gonna be able to get out of the way in time, but it barely did.

"Quick Attack!" Jill said.

Sunsil then gave pursuit to Flaaffy, hitting it from behind. That caused Flaaffy to trip and fall to the ground, giving Sunsil enough time to back away from a potential close-ranged attack.

"Are you okay Flaaffy?" Clara asked her Pokémon.

Flaaffy got up, and swept off the dirt from its body, then nodded at Clara.

"That's good to hear," She then said. "Use Thunder Wave!"

Flaaffy shot waves of electricity toward Sunsil, and I saw Jill getting slightly worried. I don't blame her though, as Thunder Wave does guarantee paralysis if it does hit.

"Get out of there quick!" Jill shouted. "And use Heat Wave!"

Sunsil lept toward the left, narrowly missing the Thunder Wave, and shot Heat Wave once it got ahold of itself. That did a lot of damage to Flaaffy, thanks to the sun still being bright from Drought.

"Not bad at all Jill," Clara complimented. "Time to Charge up Flaaffy!"

Flaaffy then started to charge up its electric power, managing to boost its Special Defense in the process. This isn't looking good for Jill, as Sunsil has more special attacks than physical attacks. Knowing her though, I don't need to worry as much as I am right now.

"Sunsil, use Baby-Doll Eyes," Jill said. That's weird. You would think they would try to finish off Flaaffy after it was clearly setting itself up for a bigger blow, but nope. Maybe Jill's up to something that I don't know about. I hope it's that, and not something else. What am I even saying to you? Even you should know that I'm overthinking it again!

Sunsil made those oh-so adorable eyes again, managing to lower Flaaffy's physical Attack a bit. I'm still questioning Jill's decision a bit, despite Sunsil basically made me feel a bit more eased.

"Now use Thunder Shock!" Clara commanded.

Using the extra power gained from Charge, Flaaffy shot a more powerful Thunder Shock at Sunsil. At least it only did that and not paralyze Sunsil as well.

"You alright Sunsil?" Jill asked.

Sunsil shook itself then nodded at Jill. It's really hanging in there very well. I don't wanna jinx anything during this battle, as it can really go either way.

"Nice," She said. "Now use Ember!"

Sunsil repositioned itself so that it can fire Ember multiple times. While that was a good idea, I'm kinda puzzled about the fact that Sunsil still has Ember even though it also knows Heat Wave. With that thought fresh in my mind, I asked Dakota to remind me to ask Jill about that after the battle.

"Keep it up Flaaffy!" Clara shouted. "Use Tackle!"

Flaaffy charged at Sunsil, and did some decent damage, though it wasn't a lot compared to Thunder Shock. That would explain why Jill had Sunsil use Baby-Doll Eyes. Now it makes sense.

"Hang on Sunsil!" Jill said. "We're almost there! Use Heat Wave!"

In hopes of trying to get in one last attack before the Drought faded, Sunsil manages to fire Heat Wave, knocking out Flaaffy. Then the sunlight from Drought faded.

"Oh dear," Clara said to herself.

"Flaaffy is unable to battle!" Trevor shouted. "Vulpix is the winner!"

"Yay! That worked!" Jill shouted as Sunsil jumped in her arms. "Great job Sunsil! That was amazing!"

"Vul!" Sunsil responded as it was rubbing its head on Jill's chin. Those two are so adorable together! Ugh!

"My, my, that was an excellent start you two," Clara complimented. "You two took advantage of Drought very well. And getting in the last Heat Wave before Drought wore out was also well done."

"Aww, you didn't have to say that Clara," Jill said. "That's just how we battle. Really!"

"Well, I'd say that you got a great battling style. But we have only just begun, so things can obviously change."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Clara chuckled at Jill's comment. Even I chuckled a bit. Jill can hit you with her sass when you least expect it. "I did deserve that. Anyway, let's keep it rolling! Mudbray, you're up next darling!" Clara then shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

Her next Pokémon that came out was a small brown-colored horse Pokémon. It looked more like a donkey actually, now that I think about it. I pulled out my Pokédex to double check, and it was indeed a donkey Pokémon. And it's a Ground Type, which means now Jill is at a disadvantage. Besides that, I know nothing else, as the Pokédex says that this Pokémon is originally from the Alola Region.

"Oh boy," Jill said to herself. "Sunsil, do you wanna rest? Or do you wanna keep going? I'll leave that up to you."

Despite being at a disadvantage, Sunsil still wanted to stay in and battle. I get that Chikorita can easily deal with Mudbray, and Blitzle can't do a thing, but I feel like Jill should save Sunsil for later in case that she might need it for Clara's third Pokémon. That's just my opinion though.

"Ok," Jill said. "Then let's see if we can finish this quickly. Use Quick Attack!"

Sunsil rushed in to hit Mudbray. While it did hit, it didn't seem to do a lot of damage.

"Mudbray, use Bulldoze!" Clara commanded.

Mudbray jumped, and stomped the ground so hard that it shook the entire battlefield. That did some significant damage to Sunsil, and it seems that its Speed was also reduced as well. This isn't good at all. If Sunsil gets slowed enough that Mudbray is able to go first, then it could be done much sooner than Jill might've expected.

"Ack!" Jill shouted. "Sunsil, are you okay?!"

Sunsil did get back up and nodded at Jill. But it doesn't look too good. All of that battling is starting to take a toll on the poor fox.

"Then use Baby-Doll Eyes!" Jill commanded. That's actually a good idea. If Mudbray has mostly physical attacks, then this would be a perfect time to use an attack like that. I know I sounded like I'm being stupid, but can you really blame me?

Thankfully, Sunsil was still able to go first thanks to Baby-Doll Eyes having higher priority, even after being hit by Bulldoze, so it was able to use it to lower its physical Attack before it was able to move. We'll just have to wait and see now if that reduction would've actually mattered.

"Smart choice," Clara remarked. "Now Mudbray, use Stomp!" Kinda surprised that she didn't go for Bulldoze again since that's super effective. Maybe she just doesn't wanna spam just one move until she wins. Wait, I'm guilty of that as well. Or are we all guilty? Whatever.

Mudbray started to gallop toward Sunsil, and jumped as it got even closer.

"Dodge it!" Jill shouted.

Sunsil managed to get out of Mudbray's way just in time. A tad too close for comfort for me.

"Now use Heat Wave!" Jill then yelled.

Sunsil had to make sure it's got enough distance so that it can use Heat Wave safely. I've heard that move also has a chance of burn, so could Jill also be trying to do that to cripple Mudbray even further? I better stop asking so many questions before you yell at me.

"You're doing great Mudbray," Clara said. "Give it a Mud Slap!"

Mudbray turned its back to Sunsil, and kicked mud right into its face pretty hard. So that's how Mud Slap can lower the target's accuracy. Ouch. Now poor Sunsil can't see a thing! It hurts me to see Sunsil struggling to rub the mud off of its face.

"Oh no!" Jill shouted in shock. "Hang in there Sunsil! Try and use Ember!"

Sunsil was able to turn toward the direction that Jill's voice was coming from and fired Ember, but it was a clear miss. Wasn't even close to Mudbray. As soon as it fired Ember, it tried to rub the mud off of its eyes.

"Finish the job Mudbray!" Clara said. "Bulldoze!"

I couldn't watch this. The shake that Mudbray made was enough for me to know that Sunsil wasn't going able to take this attack.

"No Sunsil!" Jill shouted.

"Vulpix is unable to battle!" Trevor said. "Mudbray is the winner!"

"Sunsil, are you okay?" Jill asked as she went to pick up the little fox, still covered in mud.

Sunsil was still in pain. I swear I heard it moan as it responded to Jill's question. I felt my eyes getting teary. It's not even my Pokémon, and yet I'm feeling this emotional. I really need to get ahold of myself.

"You look like you need a hug," Sara said as she turned to me.

I couldn't turn her down. I did need a hug from someone. I hugged her a bit tighter than I typically do, but she didn't mind.

"Do you need to step out?" She asked me. "Hannah, Edwin, and I can come with you if you need us to. I could also go get Katie as well if you want."

"I think I'll be fine," I responded as I rubbed my eyes, wiping away my tears.

"You sure?" Sara asked me.

"Yeah. I don't wanna miss the entire battle because of something silly."

"Ok. Let us know if you need us."

"Got it. Thanks for that."

"Welcomes!"

Sara gave me one last hug before we returned to our seats. When we did, we saw that Jill had put Sunsil back in its Poké Ball, and called out Chikorita. This is her second Pokémon after all, so I'll definitely be feeling better very soon. Once the battle ends, I'll ask Jill if I can help her clean Sunsil. I knew that I love Sunsil, but I really didn't think that I would start crying because it had lost a battle. That's a first for me. I never cry when I'm watching Pokémon battles.

I saw Jill look up toward us, to me to be more specific. She looked kinda worried when she looked at me when she saw Sara and I returning to our seats. Leo told her that I was fine by forming a circle with his index finger and thumb. She seemed to understand that, and focused on the battle again.

"Did something happen to Ian or one of your other friends?" Clara asked.

"I don't know," Jill responded. "But it seems they're fine now according to my boyfriend."

"That's good to hear," Clara said. "Ready to continue?"

"Ready when you are!" Jill responded with confidence. "Chikorita, use Magical Leaf!"

Chikorita quickly shot a bunch of rainbow-colored leaves at Mudbray, doing a pretty good amount of damage. Magical Leaf is a guaranteed hit, so there was no way that Mudbray could find a way to avoid it.

"Now Mudbray, use Stomp!" Clara commanded.

Mudbray did manage to deliver a pretty powerful Stomp, right on top of Chikorita. Good thing that Chikorita is able to go first, or it could've flinched from that.

"Chikorita, use Poison Powder!" Jill shouted.

"Dodge it!" Clara yelled.

Chikorita did spray its Poison Powder, but Mudbray had plenty of time to get out of its way and avoided getting poisoned.

"Now use Tackle!" Jill quickly said, realizing that Poison Powder wasn't going to work.

Chikorita actually used the cloud made by the Poison Powder to cover itself for a second, then it charged at Mudbray and managed to catch it off guard. That allowed Chikorita to land a critical hit.

"Oh my! Are you alright Mudbray?" Clara asked her Pokémon.

After getting up from the surprise impact of Chikorita's Tackle, Mudbray turned to its Trainer and nodded at her.

"Splendid!" Clara then said. "Use Bulldoze and slow it down!"

Mudbray then shook the ground hard, managing to reduce Chikorita's Speed by a bit, even though the attack itself wasn't very effective.

"Are you alright as well Chikorita?" Jill asked.

Chikorita seemed to be doing just fine, as it quickly nodded back at Jill.

"Then how about we use Synthesis," She then said.

Chikorita looked up at the sun, allowing itself to absorb some light and heal itself.

"Give it a Double Kick Mudbray!" Clara commanded.

Just like Stomp, Double Kick did do regular effective damage, and it did hit two times, doing some decent damage to Chikorita. I've always thought that Fighting-Type moves were not very effective on Grass Type Pokémon. I hope I'm not the only one who had that mixed up. Anyway, now that we've seen all four of its moves, it's obviously clear that only Stomp can do regular effective damage. So it looks like Jill has this round in the bag already.

"Don't give up Chikorita!" Jill shouted. "Use Magical Leaf!"

Chikorita got itself into position, and shot a powerful Magical Leaf at Mudbray, doing enough damage to finish it off.

"Mudbray is unable to battle!" Trevor shouted. "Chikorita is the winner!"

"Great!" Jill shouted in excitement. "That's two down, and one to go Chikorita! You're doing awesome!"

"Chika!" The little Grass Type responded with the same amount of excitement.

"That sure is one powerful Chikorita you got there Jill," Clara complimented after she put Mudbray back in its Poké Ball.

"Thanks Clara," Jill responded. "Mudbray was also really strong as well!"

"Thank you for the kind words. Now it's time for my true partner. Hope you're ready for us! Ponyta, show them what we're made of!" Clara then shouted as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out her final Pokémon.

Just when we couldn't get enough of Ponyta, we now get to see one in battle. And it's the same Ponyta that Clara rode last week. I'm surprised I was able to recognize it even though it didn't have its saddle and reins attached.

"Oh boy," Jill said to herself. "Chikorita, you should take a break. I might need you for later."

Chikorita nodded at Jill in understanding, allowing Jill to put it back in its Poké Ball.

"Blitzle, come on out!" Jill shouted as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out the little zebra Pokémon.

"I had a feeling you would use Blitzle in this battle," Clara pointed out.

"Well, if there was any Pokémon that Blitzle would be able to stand a chance against, it'd be Ponyta," Jill responded.

"You do have a point," Clara said. "I hope you two have done enough training."

"Indeed we have!" Jill said. "Blitzle, Quick Attack!"

Seems Jill knows that without a priority attack, Ponyta would be faster than Blitzle. Wait, I think this is Blitzle's first battle. If that's the case, then this is gonna be exciting.

"Let's ease our way into this Ponyta," Clara said. "Use Ember!"

Ponyta wasted no time, and immediately fired a decently powerful Ember at Blitzle. Jill's gonna have to be careful, as Ponyta is a Fire Type, so Chikorita is gonna have a bad time if it has to come out.

"Now Blitzle, Shock Wave!" Jill commanded.

Blitzle started charging up, and shot a jolt of electrical energy at Ponyta, doing some pretty good damage. From what I've heard, Shock Wave is also a guaranteed hit. I wonder if Shinx can learn that move? I don't know.

"Ponyta, Flame Charge!" Clara shouted.

Ponyta engulfed itself in flames, and rushed at Blitzle. Its Speed was increased as well. This is bad. Now that we know that Ponyta can increase its Speed while attacking at the same time, Jill is gonna have to think fast so she can be a step ahead.

"Oh man," Jill said to herself. "This isn't good. Wait, I got it. Blitzle, use Thunder Wave."

If Blitzle can land that Thunder Wave, then they should be in better shape. Blitzle does have Flame Charge as well, so at least they have a backup option in case one fails, even if the move is not very effective. Wait, I just thought of something. I've heard Ponyta can have Flash Fire for its Ability. What if Clara's Ponyta has Flash Fire? If it does, and Jill tries Flame Charge, then she's screwed.

Blitzle took its aim, and shot Thunder Wave toward Ponyta. Unfortunately, Ponyta managed to avoid Blitzle's attack. They'll have to keep trying at this point. That's all they can really do.

"That was very close," Clara said. "Now give it a Stomp!"

"Dodge it!" Jill quickly shouted.

Now it was Ponyta's turn to miss its attack because its opponent dodged. That's kinda funny. Some Pokémon can be a little too fast for its own good, and while Ponyta may not be the fastest Fire Type, I think it can apply for this battle. Then again, Jill did tell Blitzle to get out of the way basically immediately after Clara gave her command. Whatever the case is.

"Let's use Shock Wave again!" Jill shouted.

Blitzle shot another Shock Wave at Ponyta. At least they're able to get in some good damage. But there is that chance that Clara could throw a curveball when we least expect it, so Jill has got to keep her guard up.

"Ponyta, turn up the heat with Flame Wheel!" Clara commanded.

Ponyta once again engulfed itself in flames, but the flames now circled Ponyta like an actual wheel. Well, would you look at that? Self roasting aside, Ponyta charged at Blitzle even harder than Flame Charge, doing more damage than before. This is bad. Blitzle looks like it's not gonna be able to take anymore hits. If Jill can get the Thunder Wave off, then she should be ok with Chikorita. But then she can't poison it if she does paralyze it.

"I was afraid she was gonna use that," Jill said to herself. "You doing alright Blitzle?"

Since Blitzle got knocked to the ground, it did get back up and shook itself off. It didn't even need to nod at Jill for her to know that it was doing okay.

"Ok," Jill said as she saw Blitzle get up. "Try and use Thunder Wave."

With the remaining strength that it had, Blitzle shot a Thunder Wave toward Ponyta. Once again, it didn't land. Man, Jill really is having some bad luck with this move. Hopefully she'll have better luck with it in the future.

"My god, why are we having such bad luck with Thunder Wave?!" Jill asked pretty angrily to herself.

"Don't give up Jill!" I shouted. "You still got this!"

Jill looked up at us, and forced a smile then turned back to the battle. Hopefully her irritation doesn't affect her performance.

"You're still doing good Jill," Clara added. "Use Ember Ponyta!"

"Dodge, and use Quick Attack!" Jill shouted.

Blitzle leaped pretty far to the side to get a head start on its Quick Attack, avoiding Ponyta's Ember.

"Shocking, but not surprising," Clara said. "And that rhymed. Anyway, let's really turn up the heat!"

Ponyta looked back at Clara, and nodded at her with a determined look on its face. This doesn't look good.

Clara crossed her arms in front of her chest, emitting a light from her wrist. She's got a Z-Ring, and using a Z-Move. Crap. As much faith as I have in Jill, I doubt Blitzle can take this hit. Though I gotta admit, that pose for the Fire-Type Z-Move is pretty damn cool.

"Time to turn up the heat!" Clara shouted as the Z-Power was charging up.

The light around Ponyta flashed the same symbol that I saw when Sara used her Z-Move with Zoroark. Then the light faded.

"If we can so please demonstrate our full power," Clara said. "Use Inferno Overdrive!"

A huge ball of fire started to build up in front of Ponyta, then it was shot directly at Blitzle. After it hit, the move created a huge explosion. All that was left was Blitzle laying on the ground, clearly knocked out from that powerful attack.

"Blitzle is unable to battle!" Trevor shouted. "Ponyta is the winner!"

Seems Jill saw this coming as well, as she put a small smile on as she was walking to Blitzle. As I was watching her talk to Blitzle, Leo suddenly got up and started to leave the bleachers.

"Sorry, I have to go right away," Leo said as he was walking away. "Just got called into work. Give my best to her when she wins!"

"You betcha Leo!" Dakota responded.

"Then I gotta get a move on," Leo said. "See ya." Thank Arceus he had to leave early. I know that's kinda mean, but Leo seems to say some weird things when Jill isn't around us. Just saying.

Once I turned back to the battle, Jill had already sent out Chikorita and had it use Tackle. Even though Blitzle wasn't able to paralyze Ponyta, Jill still has a chance to inflict poison onto Ponyta. That way, she can have an easier time with this battle. Regardless though, she's gonna have to get really lucky if she's gonna pull out the win. It's gonna be tough to say the least.

"Now Ponyta, Flame Charge!" Clara commanded.

"Dodge it, and use Magical Leaf!" Jill shouted.

Even if Ponyta is technically faster than Chikorita, Chikorita was still able to get out of the way of Ponyta's Flame Charge. Thankfully, that didn't let Ponyta raise its Speed yet again. That's probably the best news I've seen or heard all day. Didn't I say that already? Whatever.

Once Chikorita found its aim, it quickly shot Magical Leaf at Ponyta. However, it didn't do a lot of damage due to it being not very effective since it is a Grass-Type move after all. Gee, ain't that obvious?

"You okay Ponyta?" Clara asked.

Ponyta didn't hesitate to nod at her. For a Ponyta, it's still going strong despite all of the battling it has done today. Well I guess you can say that it was quite the workhorse today. Hahaha! All right, all right, I promise that'll be the last pun I make today. Or will it? The world may never know.

"Good, then let's use Flame Wheel!" Clara commanded.

Ponyta delivered a pretty powerful Flame Wheel at Chikorita. But Chikorita seems to be hanging in there just fine. It can really go either way for this battle.

"Hang in there Chikorita!" Jill shouted. "Use Poison Powder!" All right, she's going for a status move. Hopefully it'll actually land this time.

I had to close my eyes as soon as I heard Chikorita spray the Poison Powder. Little did I know that Chikorita was actually close enough to Ponyta to land the attack! What a relief.

"Oh, this isn't good at all," Clara remarked.

"This is great!" Jill shouted. "Now we'll be in better shape for the rest of the battle!"

"Then it looks like we have to keep up the pressure even more," Clara responded. "Ponyta, use Stomp."

Ponyta jumped high, and landed pretty hard onto Chikorita. At least it wasn't a critical hit. But now she's got the chance of flinch to worry about since Ponyta is faster than Chikorita. However, the poison damage is coming into play now, so at least there's that. Though part of me is worried that Chikorita could get knocked out before the poison takes out Ponyta. I know I'm having so many doubts right now, but this battle is super freaking close.

"Hang in there Chikorita!" Jill said. "Heal yourself with Synthesis!"

The leaf on top of Chikorita's head glowed, then so did the rest of its body, allowing it to heal. Had the enhanced sunlight from Sunsil's Drought still be in play, then Chikorita could've easily healed up completely. But from what I can tell, it looks like Chikorita was healed up just enough. So, maybe I shouldn't be worrying as much as I am at the moment.

"Well well," Clara started. "You do have a very clever strategy here Jill, despite being at a disadvantage. That's what I like so much about you; You always seem to have a plan for just about any situation, whether things are in your favor or not."

"I appreciate the kind words Clara," Jill responded. "But all Trainers need a strategy for any battle, easy or hard."

"I figured you'd know that already," Clara said. "I was just seeing if you were aware of your actions."

"Oh trust me, I'm fully aware of what I'm doing. So let's keep it up Chikorita! Use Tackle!"

"Dodge it Ponyta!" Clara commanded.

The fire horse jumped directly over Chikorita, avoiding its Tackle attack completely.

"Now give it a Flame Wheel!" Clara then commanded.

Ponyta came to a complete stop and turned around, then it charged at Chikorita, landing a critical hit while taking damage from the poison. I swear, I let out a small gasp, and my stomach jumped at impact. This is not good at all. One more hit from Ponyta, and it could very well be over.

"Stay strong Chikorita!" Jill said. "Use Synthesis!"

Poor Chikorita is struggling to get back up, but it did get back up on its feet. I could've sworn I saw Chikorita shed a tear as it was getting up. Once it did get back up, it started to take in the sunlight once again to heal itself. But out of nowhere, it let out a loud battle cry, and its body glowed even brighter. Its body started to grow bigger, its leaf grew, and the collar grew out curled-up leaves as well.

Once the light around Chikorita's body faded, what was revealed was something completely different. "Bay!" The Pokémon yelled.

"Oh my gosh!" Jill said. "Chikorita evolved!" She then said as she was pulling out her Pokédex.

" _Bayleef, the Leaf Pokémon, and the evolved form of Chikorita. A Grass Type._ " The Pokédex read. " _Bayleef's collar has been known to emanate a spicy odor that make people want to fight, but can also serve as a stimulant to restoring health._ " Well that's kinda interesting. Never would've known about that with Bayleef.

"That's so cool Bayleef!" Jill said. "Then use Magical Leaf!" Don't know why she's going for a move that is not very effective right off the bat after her Pokémon had evolved. Granted it is a guaranteed hit, but even the increase in power that Bayleef gets won't be enough to finish Ponyta in one blow.

But what was about to be shot from Bayleef didn't look like Magical Leaf at all. In fact, no leaves formed around it, as a grass green-colored flashy sphere starting forming in front of its mouth. Then Bayleef shot that sphere at Ponyta, doing more damage than what Magical Leaf did.

"What was that?" Jill asked herself. "Wait. Holy crap, that was Energy Ball!" Blimey. So Bayleef learned a new move when it evolved. Now the battle is getting even more exciting again.

"Talk about a turn of events," Clara said. "Congrats on your Pokémon evolving Jill!"

"Thanks!" Jill responded. "To be honest, I wasn't expecting Chikorita to evolve this soon. But I guess it was well into the battle, and its determination let it evolve or something."

"That could very well be it. Pokémon evolve for so many reasons that I can't even name them all. But one thing is certain, you two do have a strong bond."

"No denying that."

"So, how about we see how you can handle Bayleef's new power?! Ponyta, use Flame Charge!"

Even though I was hoping we wouldn't see this move again, it is about time Clara has had Ponyta use this move again. Though it did still hit pretty hard, and increased Ponyta's Speed once again. However, it was still taking damage from the poison, and it seems it's almost done. This is really close. It almost looks like either one of them are gonna go down after one more hit.

"Whew, I don't think I've ever seen a battle this tense," Jill said. "This is very exciting to say the least."

"I agree Jill," Clara responded. "This is a battle that is just too fun to let it end. But we have to end it at some point."

"Yeah. Bayleef, use Tackle!"

"Ponyta, use Ember!"

Ponyta got to move first, firing Ember toward Bayleef. Bayleef ran right through the Ember, and still hit Ponyta! But both Pokémon fell on impact, and struggled to get back up. Now it's basically become a survival game; Whoever collapsed again is the loser. That's the best that I can describe the situation at the moment.

I was on the edge of my seat. I can see Jill and Clara sweating. The Pokémon were sweating, and panting like crazy. It almost felt like everything was on a breaking point, like something can go horribly wrong at any second.

Bayleef started to nudge, but was still able to keep ahold of itself. Then what about Ponyta? Is it still able to keep going? It nudged as well, but couldn't stop itself, and fell to the ground. Did that just do it? Is it over? Did Jill just win?

Trevor got a closer look at Ponyta before he made any judgements. "Ponyta is unable to battle!" He shouted. "Bayleef is the winner! What that means is the winner is Jill, the challenger!"

"No way!" Jill shouted in excitement. "No way! No way! No way! No way! No way! Bayleef!" She kept yelling as she was running to hug her partner.

"Well shoot," Clara said to herself as she walked to Ponyta. "Thank you so much Ponyta. You were outstanding during that battle," She added as she and Ponyta walked over to Jill. Meanwhile, the rest of us were leaving the bleachers to go see her. "That was a fantastic battle Jill! Very well done!"

"Thank you Clara!" Jill responded. "I loved it from start to finish! That battle could've gone either way!"

"You said it," Clara said. "So, since this is your first Trial victory, I shall give you your first Medal." Clara then pulled the Medal out of her pocket, and handed it to Jill. "For you Jill, here's the Roundup Medal. This is proof that you have successfully challenged the Middletown Trial." The medal actually had a rope embossed into the metal. On second thought, I think that's a lasso actually.

"It looks so cool," Jill said as she took the Medal into her hands. "Check it out Bayleef. It's our first Medal!"

Bayleef blushed a little bit as it was rubbing its head on Jill's cheek. Even if Bayleef is a bit bigger, it still is pretty adorable.

"And there's one more thing I need to give you Jill," Clara said as she pulled something else out of her pocket.

"What's that?" Jill asked.

"It's the Firium Z Z-Crystal. Along with earning the Medal, Trial goers also earn a Z-Crystal when they beat the Trial. The Z-Crystal you earn depends on the Type of Pokémon that each Trial Captain specializes with. But since I'm considered mixed, I give the Type that matches my partner Pokémon, which happens to be Ponyta."

"Oh. Thank you. But, there is one little problem."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't have a Z-Ring at the moment."

"I think we can fix that. Follow me. The rest of you should as well."

I think I know where this is going. Once we got to Clara's office, she opened a drawer full of Z-Rings, and she pulled out a light green-colored Z-Ring.

"What do you think?" Clara asked Jill. "I think it would be cute if your Z-Power Ring matched the color of your partner."

"I love it!" Jill responded. "It's perfect!"

"Then it's yours Jill!" Clara said.

"Thanks Clara!" Jill said as she took the Z-Power Ring and slipped it onto her wrist. "Now for the Z-Crystal," She then said as she was inserting the Crystal into the Z-Power Ring. "Wow. The colors go better than I thought."

"It looks great on you!" I complimented.

"Aww, thanks Ian," Jill responded. "Don't you think so as well Bayleef?"

"Bay!" Her partner happily responded.

"So Jill, now that you completed your first Trial, do you have an idea of where you're going next?" Clara asked.

"No clue," Jill responded. "Do you have any recommendations?"

"How about you go challenge the Trial at Bristol's Rockwell Park?" Clara suggested. "I can see Bayleef and Blitzle shining during that one."

"Sounds like a good idea," Jill responded. "But we gotta get some more training in before we do that."

"Bay!" Bayleef added.

"That's great to hear Jill," Clara said. "But now I have to show you the pose you need to make for the Fire-Type Z-Move."

"Right," Jill said. "I almost forgot."

Clara had us give her some room so she can replicate the pose for Jill. Seeing it up close was pretty cool, even though this wasn't the first time that I got to see it.

"Do you think you can do that?" Clara asked Jill.

"I should be able to," Jill responded. "I can ask my friends for help if I need help as well."

"That sounds good to me!" Clara said.

"So, ready to head out folks?" Dakota asked.

Once we said our goodbyes to Clara, we started to head back to the parking lot. There was one last joke I had in my head that I had to tell Jill.

"Hey Jill, I still can't Bayleef the battle was that close!" I said.

"Argh! Ian!" Jill said as she started to chase me. "I'm so gonna smack you for that! So you better run!"

"I regret nothing!" I said as I was running. "It's perfect!"

Everyone was laughing at us as Jill was chasing me. We were basically acting like kids, but we didn't care. Jill was the first to stop running so she can catch her breath. Then I stopped when I saw that she stopped.

"Damn, can you run!" Jill said as she was panting.

"Couldn't keep up?" I asked.

"I don't need to answer that one for you to figure out," She responded. "Wait, where did Leo go?"

"He had to leave early," I said. "He said he got called into work."

"Dammit," She said. "I was hoping he could stay for the whole thing."

"He felt sad that he couldn't stay as well. I'm sure he'll try to make it to the next one."

"I hope so. He did promise me after all."

"Hey, let's not spoil the mood at the moment. You won your first Trial, and that's what matters right now," I said as I was giving her a hug. "We're all very proud of you."

"Yeah, you're right," Jill said as she returned my hug. "Thanks Ian."

"Anytime."

Before we left, Dakota invited me over to spend the rest of the day with them. Of course I couldn't say no, as I did play a big role in Jill's training for the Trial.

"My, that was some battle Jill!" Dakota said as she took a bite of her meatloaf. "And I have to thank you Ian for helping my little girl with her training."

"It was my pleasure Dakota," I responded. "There was no way Jill could've done all of that training on her own. Plus it was the least I could do for Jill since she helped me learn a few things when I was still very new as a Trainer."

"Aww Ian, you're making me blush!" Jill said as she was blushing. "You didn't have to do that!"

"Well, you did me a big favor, so it was fair that I returned the favor," I said.

"All right, that's fair," Jill said.

"By the way you two, I do need to ask you something rather important," Dakota said.

"What is it Mom?" Jill asked.

"Have you two come across Team Space lately?" Dakota asked. She's seriously asking about that?!

"Why you ask?" I asked.

"Because I heard about what happened at the ranch last week, and I was concerned that you two were caught in the middle of that," Dakota said.

"Unfortunately, we were involved in that incident," Jill said after she sighed. "They were after one of the Ponyta the ranch was raising. Apparently it was the child of two of the Champion's Pokémon."

"So that was the reason for their troubles over there?" Dakota asked.

"Seems so," I responded.

"What exactly did they want with the little thing?" Dakota asked.

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Jill responded. "All they have been doing is steal and modify a bunch of Pokémon."

"I've been hearing about that as well," Dakota said. "Your Pokémon didn't get stolen, right?"

"Mom, if I told you that happened, then we would've told you right away," Jill snapped.

"I would've done the same with my dad," I added.

"I'm just making sure, okay?" Dakota said. "With those guys out and about, I don't wanna take risks with our Pokémon."

"I don't blame you though," I said. "By the way Jill, where does Leo work out of curiosity?"

"He told me that he's a manager for some sort of Pokémon protection company, for whatever that's worth," Jill responded. "He doesn't have to be there all the time, but can be called in if something's terribly wrong."

"Interesting," I said. "I did see him pull out his phone when he got the text to come in."

"Were you peeking at it?" Jill asked.

"Not really, but he did have it titled a little toward me when he was reading it to himself," I said. "I remember it saying 'Admin L, we're going to need you soon. Head back now.'"

"'Admin?'" Jill asked herself. "Where have I heard that before?"

"It's exactly how Team Space acknowledged someone else when they attacked the ranch last week. Part of me is thinking he could be a part of them," I said.

"I don't think so," Dakota said. "Leo is a nice guy, especially to Jill. Maybe this other 'Admin' you're referring to could also be used at his company."

"As much of a dumbass he is, even he wouldn't be that evil," Jill added. "So I wouldn't worry about it just yet."

"Ok," I simply said. Then we carried on the rest of the night. Jill and I watched a few movies then played some games as well. But the thought of Leo being a part of Team Space can't seem to get out of my mind, no matter how much fun Jill and I are having together tonight. That makes me keep my guard up even further. But on the other hand, it gives me another excuse to stay close to Jill.

Anyway, with Jill's first Trial under her belt, it's my turn once again, for my second Gym Battle. So, it's back to training for me very soon.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Has anyone ever asked you if every day of school kinda feels the same? That's how I've been feeling even though the lessons each day are different. Yeah, I get to see my friends, and go to fun classes, but what else is there to keep the day interesting? Practically nothing if you ask me.

I was in my history class when something peculiar happened, causing the school to go into lockdown. So we hid in where we were supposed to go, and everything was going fine. But very faintly, I heard the sound of Poké Balls coming from the window. The classroom I was in was facing the baseball field, but it sounded like it was lopsided, almost like it was from the direction of the track and field. Don't ask how I can tell, it's just an assumption. Just to be clear.

Then I heard a voice echo outside pretty loudly, almost like someone was talking through a megaphone. Something about whoever was talking wanted someone, and will cause no harm if they handed the person over within five minutes. Then the noises stopped. But I saw some shadows in the blinds walking by outside.

Once the shadow went away, I crawled to my teacher to ask what was happening outside. He had no idea. He said we'll just have to wait until we're safe to resume class again.

Five minutes passed, and nothing happened. We weren't allowed to resume class. Something bad is going on, and I'm not liking that. Other students were starting to get worried as well. Some were saying that shadow we saw has to do with the lockdown, which is possible.

As we waited, I heard chatter coming from the window. I swear I heard "Admin C" again. Could Team Space be on the property? I hope not. I might be jumping to conclusions way too quickly.

My teacher reached for his phone, seeing that he got a text from the principal, telling him that Team Space is on the property, and backup to fight them off is on their way. So it was them. Great.

"Guys, you have to remain calm, but Team Space is here right now," My teacher told us. Some of the students were getting scared. Even I was getting kinda nervous, even though I've dealt with them before.

"Do you know why they're here?" I asked.

"Mr. William told me they're here for someone specific," My teacher said. "But we do have a few people coming to help force them out."

I was about to get pretty crazy. We have no idea how many Grunts are here, but the more people that can help, the better. "I wanna help," I simply said.

"That's a really bad idea Ian," My teacher told me. "You're going to get yourself hurt if you do."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I've come across them more than once?" I then asked.

I think my teacher is shook about that. Same goes for my classmates. They don't know if they should be happy that I'm okay, or completely pissed that I've dealt with them a couple times, even if none of those times were my fault.

"Please," I said. "One of my friends has helped me as well. We know what they're capable of. We can get backup of our own to help. The sooner and more Trainers we have to fight them, the better off we'll be."

"Ok," My teacher said after he sighed. "Let me make sure Mr. William is fine with that before you head out."

"Fair," I simply said. "While you do that, I'll prepare my friends as well."

"Got it," He told me.

My teacher was the first to get a text back. Mr. William was cool with my decision. He knows that I'm Mike's cousin after all, so I'm sure he didn't have to hesitate about his decision. Then Jill, Elio, and Selene got back to me, and we agreed to meet in the gym since there were no doors leading to the outside from there. We had to get there as quickly and quietly as possible so that the Grunts don't hear us.

"So Team Space really is here?" Selene asked.

"Seems like it," I said. "If it's a fight they want, then it's a fight they'll get."

"Who else are we going to call to come help?" Elio asked.

"I can get Sara, Hannah, and Edwin to come," Jill said.

"Cool," I said. "Then I'll ask Lillie as well."

As Jill and I were trying to text everyone, we heard glass shatter in the main hallway. We all jumped and gasped a bit at the sudden noise.

"What was that?" Selene asked in a slightly worried voice.

"Sounds like someone broke in," Elio said.

"I think we should hide," Jill said. "Like, now."

"Yeah, but where?" I asked.

"Maybe behind the curtain in the back," Jill said.

"But there's a door back there," Selene said. "Whoever got in can see through those windows now. We practically got nowhere to hide."

"That is true," Jill said. "What about the closet in the back? Is it unlocked?"

"It should be," Elio said. "Let's check while we got time."

As we were heading to the back of the gym, we heard someone talking with Mr. William and someone else out in the hallway. I heard my name mentioned in that conversation.

"Huh?" I asked myself as I stopped.

"What are you waiting for Ian?!" Elio asked me. "Get over here now! We got the closet open!"

"I'm coming," I said as I ran to the closet. Then we turned on the lights and shut the door.

"What did you stop for?" Elio asked as we were getting situated.

"I heard my name being mentioned out in the hallway," I responded. "That concerns me. What could they be doing here of all places? There's nothing that they could possibly need for their plans."

"Try to calm down Ian," Jill told me as she put a hand on my shoulder. "We're in a safe spot now. We just need to think of a plan now."

"Maybe, but how the hell are we gonna get outside now?" I quickly asked.

"If we have to, we'll force our way through," Elio said. "Don't worry dude, we'll be getting help very soon. We just gotta do our part, then the real fight begins."

"I hope so," I said. "So, what can we really do?"

"As long as we avoid whoever broke in, we'll just find an empty exit, right?" Selene suggested.

"Easier said than done Selene," Jill said. "Who knows how many of them are outside. They could be after any of us."

"But we're sitting Duckletts by staying in here!" Selene said. "We gotta do something before they find where we are!"

"She's right," Elio said. "We have to find a way out somehow."

"Where's the closest exit?" I asked.

"There is the exit near the locker rooms," Jill said. "We could take that one as long as it's not blocked. We can then spread out that way."

"If we're gonna do that, then we have to get a move on now," I said. "And as quietly as possible so we don't get noticed."

"Good idea," Elio said. "Then we should get going now."

I checked outside the closet to make sure no one was near the main entrance to the gym, then gave the signal to everyone. We then made it to the door on the other side in the back. Jill opened the door as quietly as she could, then we made our way to the side exit. The first door was open, so Elio quietly opened the last door leading to the outside, allowing us to get out.

Once Elio shut the door, we bolted to the nearest bush to see where the Grunts are. There were a crap ton of them on the track and field. This is gonna be harder than I thought. Hopefully everyone gets here soon, cause there's no freaking way that we're gonna do all of this by ourselves.

"Now what?" Selene asked.

"There's so many," Elio pointed out. "What's next guys? If we try to confront them, they can surround us. We can't handle all of that in one battle."

"That's very true," I said. "But they're not gonna go away on their own."

"He's right," Jill added. "We'll have to do something until help arrives."

"Yeah, but what?" Selene asked.

"No offense Selene, but you asking all of these questions is not helping," Elio said.

"Sorry," Selene said. "I just don't know what to do here."

"Don't worry, we'll think of something," I reassured.

As we were discussing a plan, it looked like a Team Space Grunt was heading our way. So we hid deeper in the bush, hoping that he wouldn't notice us.

"Eh, must've been a Pidgey," The Grunt said to himself then he walked back.

"Talk about a dumbass," I said.

"But that's good for us," Jill said. "We should get going soon. We can't keep waiting here."

"Yeah," I said. "You guys ready?"

"Ready," Elio said.

"I guess so," Selene said. "I'll try my best."

"Then let's go," Jill said.

We made our way out of the bushes and started to head to the track and field. The Grunt wasn't even there yet, and he didn't hear us coming out. What's with him?!

"Hey dumbass!" Jill shouted.

"Huh?!" The Grunt said as he turned around. "Where did you kids come from?!"

"We've been hiding in a bush the whole time!" Jill said. "You even checked where we were, but you were stupid enough to not check the bushes!"

"Oh shit!" The Grunt said. "I screwed up big time!"

"Big time is right bud," I said. Then I got up close to him. "So tell us why you guys are here!"

"If I knew, then I wouldn't tell you!" The Grunt told me.

"You seriously don't pay attention to your own plans?" I asked.

"Listen kid, I couldn't sleep for shit last night," The Grunt told me.

"Not my problem," I said. "So speak up now, or you won't like us even more!"

"Ian, don't try to get violent," Jill warned me.

"Don't worry Jill, I know what I'm doing," I said.

"Yeah, you don't wanna hurt me, or you'll have to deal with our Admin," The Grunt said. "Huh? Hold on, you look familiar."

"How so?" I asked. Then I turned to Jill and nodded at her. She called out her Blitzle.

"Ha! I knew it!" The Grunt said. "We've been looking for you! Now I can take you into my own hands!"

"I don't think so!" I said.

"Blitzle, Thunder Wave!" Jill commanded.

Blitzle shot a weak jolt of electricity at the Grunt, enough to stop him for a bit, but not enough to cause serious damage to him.

"Let's go while we got a chance!" I said. Then we took off for the track and field. There were a lot more Grunts than I thought there were gonna be. They actually came prepared this time.

"Well, you actually came out," Another Grunt said. "Were the teachers that stupid?"

"No, we chose to come out on our own," Elio said. "Just what do you want?!"

"We're here for the kid called Ian," A girl said out of nowhere, coming from our left. She had a silver and black outfit, perfectly matching her long, black hair with silver highlights. Even though she's on Team Space, and most likely older than me, she's kinda hot. Just saying.

"How do you know my name?!" I asked. "And who are you?!"

"I do believe this is our first time meeting you brats," The girl said. "If you're that desperate, then I might as well tell you who I am, and why we're here. All I'm going to say is I'm Corona, one of the three Admins of Team Space, otherwise known as Admin C. Our boss sent us here to bring you to her. She wants a word with you. So, be a good boy and give in peacefully. That way, no harm shall be done."

"You really think I'm just gonna go with you, unaware that you're up to no good?!" I asked. "No freaking way!"

"Tch. Knew you would say that," Corona said. "Team, surround them!"

Just like that, a bunch of Grunts surrounded us in a giant circle. Corona was in that circle of Grunts.

"You got nowhere to run now, so just surrender already," Corona said. "Or we will get dirty. Besides, you're outnumbered. You can't win with a pity party like that."

"We'll see about that!" Someone shouted. "Flygon, Rock Slide!"

Out of nowhere, a rather interesting-looking Flygon with orange eyes, blue antennae, and a mostly green body shot a bunch of rocks onto the field.

"Incoming!" Corona shouted.

Everyone, including us, jumped out of the way of the falling rocks. Thankfully for us, and unfortunately for them, no one was hurt. When I turned to where the Flygon came from, I saw who its Trainer was. It happened to be Sara, Hannah, and Edwin.

"Sara! Hannah! Edwin!" Jill shouted.

"Just in time!" Elio shouted.

"What a relief," Selene said.

"Awesome job Flygon!" Sara said as she was petting her large Pokémon. "And try to be a bit more careful next time."

Flygon was rubbing the back of its head and blushed. At least it did what it was supposed to do from what it seems.

"You guys okay?" Hannah asked.

"We're fine," I said. "Did you guys see Lillie as well?"

"We didn't see her," Edwin said. "Is she coming as well?"

"I did ask her for help," I said. "Hopefully she can."

"We can worry about that later," Elio said.

"Yea, looks like we got a mess to clean up," Sara added.

"Well, look at that," Corona said. "You do have backup. Tsk. It's still not enough to defeat all of us."

"We'll see about that!" Jill said. "Sunsil, come on out!" She then said as she tossed her Poké Ball.

"Torracat, play time!" Elio said as he tossed his Poké Ball.

"Guess we should help as well Dartrix!" Selene said as she tossed her Poké Ball.

"Umbreon, let's get ready for funs," Edwin said as he tossed his Poké Ball.

"Oh Altaria, I'm gonna need your help as well!" Hannah said as she tossed her Poké Ball.

A bunch of Pokémon came out at once. Hannah's Altaria sparkled as it came out of its Poké Ball, so it's gotta be a Shiny Altaria.

"Oh Sara, what's with your Flygon?" I asked. "I thought Flygon had red and more green. Is yours Shiny?"

"Yep!" Sara responded. "I couldn't be more proud of her!"

Flygon blushed a little bit at Sara's comment, and it even gave her a hug! Ok, that was adorable. I've always heard Flygon are great Pokémon, and I'm starting to see why people think that way. That would be a fun Pokémon to have for my team.

"Sara, can we save the hugs for later?" Hannah asked. "We got something more important to do at the moment."

"Got it," Sara responded. "You guys think you can handle them?" She then asked Jill and I.

"Don't you worry about a thing," Jill said. "Ian and I can handle ourselves."

"Come on, you brats," Corona demanded. "We're not going to wait for you to finish your yacking or whatever."

"Yeesh, someone's impatient," I remarked.

"No kidding," Jill said.

"Anyway, let's get going!" I said. Then we all headed straight for them. As we were charging for them, it was finally time for me to send out one of my Pokémon, and I decided to go with Shinx for this. With our combined forces, we were able to get out a large number of Grunts, who were all blocking our way to Corona. She knew we were gonna call for help, so she had help of her own. That is quite clever, even if she's the enemy.

We finally got through the Grunts to get to Corona. She doesn't seem to be surprised that we made it to her.

"I had a feeling you would get through those idiots," Corona said. "They were nothing but just parts of my wall to stall you brats, but you got through with no problem. Consider me impressed, but only this time I will be."

"Now all we have to deal with is you," I said.

"Tch, seems you're a very desperate boy, aren't you?" Corona asked. "But I wouldn't jump in so fast if I were you."

"Why shouldn't I?" I asked.

She didn't even answer me, but simply snapped her fingers. Just like that, a bunch of more Grunts surrounded us. More than we can handle, even at the size of the group that we are right now.

"Do anything stupid, and my additional Grunts will be on top of you all," Corona warned. "So, just surrender, and we can get this over with quick and easy. You're way more outnumbered than you originally thought anyway."

"Oh my gosh, this is bad," Jill said. "This is really bad."

"What do we do now?" Selene asked. "There's basically no way out of here. We're trapped."

"Don't worry Selene, we'll get out of this," Elio said. "I hope."

"Do you guys have any ideas?" Selene asked Sara, Hannah, and Edwin. They might have an idea since they have far more experience as Trainers than we do. I'm thinking of riding on Flygon and flying over them, but I don't think it'll be that easy, even for a stronger Pokémon like it.

"We could fly on our Pokémon," Sara said. "But the problem with that would be that since there's so many Team Space Grunts, there's enough of them to hold all of us down. I really don't have a clue either."

"I'm just as clueless," Edwin said.

"Plus, as soon as we let out a Pokémon that can fly, they can quickly know what we're trying to do," Hannah said.

"You kids are not as retarded as I thought you'd be," Corona said. "You basically took all of that out of my mouth. Now we can jump to the end of this. So, are you going to be a good set of children and give in? Or are we going to have to do this the hard way?"

"Make that the hard way!" Someone shouted. "Use Ice Beam!"

"Ah shit," Corona said. "Not again! Look out!"

Once again, we all jumped out of the way of the incoming attack. When I looked up at the Pokémon that used it, I was in awe of what was the Pokémon that shot that Ice Beam. But that was just the beginning, as I almost lost myself when I saw who the Pokémon's Trainer was.

"Good thing I got here just in time," The Trainer said.

"Katie!" Jill and Sara shouted.

"Oh no," Corona said. "This isn't good at all."

"Nice shot by the way Primarina," Katie complimented.

Primarina slightly blushed at Katie, and took a bow shortly after. Can I just say that this Pokémon is freaking _gorgeous_?! Like, seriously!

"Great to see you as well Primarina!" Sara said.

"Aww, it took a bow for us!" Jill said.

"I was just about to say the same thing," I added.

"Well, Primarina does love performing after all," Hannah said.

I was taken back so much, to the point where I thought I was dreaming. I finally got to meet a one of the Top Conqueror's Pokémon. I even reached my hand out to it to double check, and it shook my hand! I'm not dreaming!

Jill was in the same amount of awe that I was in. She was so astonished that we get to see Katie's partner Pokémon in person finally. It's almost like it was on her bucket list or something.

"You okay Jill?" I asked as I put a hand on her shoulder. "You look like you're spacing out."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Jill responded.

"That's good," I said. "So, Corona, you gonna give in now?"

"Never!" Corona responded. "This is the ultimate opportunity for us! Surround them this minute team!"

For the third time, we were surrounded. This is getting old very fast. And Might I add they're being very redundant?

"Ugh, can't they think of anything else?" Jill asked. "I mean, I'm not complaining, but still."

"So Top Conqueror, we finally get to meet, face to face," Corona said as she approached Katie.

"And I finally get to see what kind of trouble Team Space causes for myself," Katie said. "It's just as bad as I have heard."

"As you may remember, Team Frost was an utmost failure," Corona said. "So, we Team Space are picking up their best gimmick, and using it for ourselves. Complete with enhancements! Blice would've been so proud of where his research has gone!"

"He's one of us now!" Katie snapped. "He's realized his mistakes, and corrected them! Now he's back with his family, and assisting us when needed! Not once does he regret disbanding the team! If anything, disbanding the team was the best decision of his life!"

"That's what you think missy," Corona said. "Just watch, we'll rise above all else before you even think about it. Even more than you _and_ the Champion combined. We'll become an unstoppable force!"

"Not if we can stop you in your tracks!" I said.

"Ian, you should stay out of this," Katie told me.

"Let the boy fight," Corona said. "We're here for him anyway. We don't need anyone else."

"If that's the case, then why did you bring an entire army here?" Katie asked. "There's literally no reason for any of this."

"I refuse to answer that for you," Corona responded. "Now team, get ready for battle!"

The Grunts that were closest to us sent out their Pokémon, ranging from Rattata to Pokémon I haven't even come across before. Even if Primarina was as strong as it is, I doubt it can handle the amount of Pokémon that are here right now.

"You guys just don't wanna quit, do you?" Katie asked. How is she so calm with this situation unfolding?! Even Sara, Hannah, and Edwin aren't breaking a sweat! That makes me jealous! "Think your Pokémon are still good enough for more battling?" Katie then asked the rest of us.

We all agreed, and were ready to rumble. This has gone crazy. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this in real life, except in movies. Let alone being a part of it as well.

"Give it your best shot," Katie said to Corona.

"You asked for it," Corona said. "Team, attack!"

"Get ready everyone!" Katie shouted.

It was gonna become an all-out brawl at this point. But for some reason, Corona didn't send out any Pokémon at all, like she was preparing herself to jump in if she has to. What is she even planning? I feel like we should focus on defeating her, then worry about the Grunts later. But it seems it's become attack whoever until no one is standing.

"Quick Empoleon, Flash Cannon!" Someone shouted as he threw a Poké Ball. That Empoleon came out, and shot a Flash Cannon right above us, causing a lot of us to duck for cover. Once the attack dissipated, I heard the sound of hooves on the ground, so Empoleon's Trainer has to be riding some sort of horse Pokémon.

"Are we ever going to start this fight?!" Corona yelled. "Who did it this time?!"

When I turned around, I was flipping out on the inside. I was right on the horse Pokémon, being a Rapidash. In fact, the flames matched the colors of the Ponyta I rode at the Pokémon Middle Ranch. But the guy that got off was what I was really focused on.

"Bet you didn't expect to see me," The guy said.

"You!" Corona said as she clenched her fist.

"Mike!" Katie said as she tackle hugged him. "You're finally here!"

"Indeed I am," Mike said after he chuckled and returned Katie's hug. "So, did I miss the party?"

"Oh it's just getting started," Katie responded.

"Good, cause I wanna have some fun as well," Mike said. "Is everyone else alright?"

"Yeah, we're just fine," I responded. I so wanna hug Mike as well, but that would make me feel embarrassed to do that in front of my friends. I mean, my freaking cousin is finally here! First time seeing him in years after all!

"That's good," Mike said. "So, this is the Team Space that I've been hearing about. Just as I expected you guys to be."

"Admin C, what do we do now?" A Grunt asked Corona. "Do we retreat?"

"Not a chance," Corona quickly answered. "Now we have both the Champion and the Top Conqueror in the same spot. This is our _real_ ultimate chance to build up our team!"

"I don't think so," Mike said. "There's no freaking way you're getting your hands on any of our Pokémon. Besides, what brings you guys to the high school anyway? There's practically nothing here that you guys could possibly need."

"She said they're here for Ian," Katie said.

"What she said," Corona added.

"Seriously?" Mike asked with a serious tone. "You dare to try and take _my_ cousin away from me as soon as I get the chance to see him again? As long as I'm back in town, that's _never_ gonna happen!"

"And how will you prove that?" Corona asked Mike.

"Like this," Mike responded. He then snapped his fingers, and Lillie came riding in on Snowflake, then Ash and Dawn flew in on a Charizard. "I've got a bunch of friends with full teams of Pokémon ready to defeat you if we have to. Don't make us do it to you. So, I highly suggest that you should leave."

Corona was caught in a tough spot. She didn't know what to do. If she tried to stay and fight, she would get her ass wiped by all of us. If she retreated, then she would face the consequences from her boss. Good for us in that sense.

"I would like to ask one thing," Corona said.

"And what's that?" Mike asked.

Corona then pointed at me before she spoke. "You," She started. "I would like to have a battle with you. If you win, then we will pull back and retreat. If I win, then you will come with us. What will it be?"

Now she's putting the pressure on me. This would be a big risk for me to take. But it could be the only way that we can drive Team Space out of here. I don't know what to do. I sweatdropped as I was trying to make up my mind.

As I was trying to make up my mind, I looked at Mike and try to get his opinion. "It's all up to you, buddy," He told me. "Your decision."

Even if this is a big risk, this is also a big opportunity for me to show Mike how strong I've gotten so far. But do I wanna take that risk? I keep going back and forth of what I should do.

"Don't feel pressured Ian," Jill said. "We'll help you if we need to. Remember, you're not in this alone."

As I continue to think, Corona seemed to be growing more and more impatient. I don't care about that. What I really care about is what could happen to me.

"I'm waiting little boy," Corona said.

I ignored her comment, and silently stepped forward, with my mind set on what I'm gonna do about this. "I accept," I simply said.

I heard a few of my friends gasp at my decision. Though I think Mike and Katie saw it coming, as they nodded at me when I turned around.

"Fine then," Corona said. "Team, move back. Give us some space."

"You guys should do the same," I said to my group.

"We'll make it simple, two-on-two, nothing else," Corona told me. "Got it?"

"Got it," I responded.

"Then I hope you're ready to be wiped!" Corona said. "Psyduck, go!" She then said as she threw her Cosimo Ball. So she's got a modified Psyduck. At this point, I should be acting less surprised, and more expecting modified Pokémon from here on out when I see these guys.

The Psyduck had a silver body with a dark blue beak when it came out of its Cosimo Ball. Even if it's a modified Pokémon, I kinda like that color scheme. But I also find it kinda odd that Corona chose to lead with a modified Pokémon instead of something else like the Grunts have done in my previous encounters with them.

"Shinx, ready to go?" I asked my Pokémon, who was chilling on my shoulder the whole time after Mike showed up.

Shinx nodded, and jumped off my shoulder, ready for battle. If we can end this battle nice and quick, then that would be great, because the last thing I needed was meeting Team Space's boss face to face today.

"Shinx, start things off with a Charge," I said.

Shinx's body glowed a bit, absorbing electrical energy, raising its Special Defense a bit.

"Psyduck, use Confusion," Corona commanded.

Making a weird wave of energy, Psyduck was able to deal a decent amount of damage to Shinx. Thankfully, that wasn't a Cosmic-Type move, so it only did regular effective damage. And it also didn't confuse Shinx, so that was good as well.

"Now Shinx, use Spark!" I shouted.

Using the buff gained from Charge, Spark was able to hit a lot more than it normally would, but it didn't seem to be super effective against Psyduck. So I'm gonna have to assume Cosmic/Psychic is this Psyduck's Type? Maybe? I have no idea.

"Get up Psyduck!" Corona commanded. "And use Astro Beam!"

Just as I am clueless of Psyduck's Type, I also have no idea if Cosmic-Type moves are super effective on Electric Types. Hopefully it's not, since we'd be in some serious trouble if it is. However, it didn't seem to be when it hit Shinx. So maybe we have a shot at this or something.

"You okay Shinx?" I asked. Even if that wasn't a super effective move, it still hit rather hard given the Same-Type Attack Bonus.

However, Shinx was still doing just fine, eliminating any concerns that I had at the moment. As much as I would like to use Charge, every other turn, it would become a predictable pattern, and Corona could have some physical moves to counter the high Special Defense Shinx could have if I were to do that.

"That's good," I said. "Then use Leer."

Might as well set up for Shinx's physical attacks, as both of its damaging moves are both physical. Gee, that's so obvious. I really need to stop doing that. Anyway, one glaring look from Shinx later, and Psyduck's physical Defense was lowered a bit.

"No you don't," Corona said. "Give it another Astro Beam."

Psyduck once again shot another Astro Beam at Shinx, and it got a stat lower. But it seemed to be all of them! What?! It can do that?! Come on!

"Oh I see how it is," I said in a sassy tone. "Shinx, Charge up once again!"

Given that we just had all of our stats lowered a bit, we might as well get some of them back to where they were, but it's gonna have to be just Shinx's Special Defense for the time being.

"You're just going to set up all this time?" Corona asked. "Whatever. Psyduck, use Confusion."

Psyduck once again made that same weird wave of energy, hitting Shinx in the process. Thankfully, it didn't confuse Shinx once again. Though I've heard it's a pretty low chance of confusing the target, despite what the name tells you. Seems she was trying to confuse Shinx, as we'd have a 50/50 chance of hitting Psyduck if that were to be the case. If that's what she was trying to do, then I really wanna get Psyduck out of here soon so that we don't have to worry about that move.

"Now use Spark Shinx!" I said.

With the boost from Charge, Spark did hit pretty hard once again, but it didn't seem to do as much since Shinx's physical Attack was lowered. That being said, it still did a pretty good amount from what I could tell.

"Psyduck, use Ice Beam," Corona commanded.

Psyduck proceeded to fire a cold beam at Shinx, doing some pretty massive damage. How can a Pokémon like Psyduck know a move like Ice Beam so early or something?! Unless Team Space went through the troubles of training so that the Pokémon can use these moves, I have no idea how they can achieve that.

"You're doing great Shinx," I said. "Use Tackle!"

Shinx got back up after being hit by the Ice Beam, and landed a pretty powerful Tackle. Seems that was a critical hit. Talk about good timing on our part.

"You better get up now Psyduck," Corona demanded. "Use Astro Beam."

"Dodge it!" I shouted.

As soon as Psyduck shot Astro Beam, Shinx jumped out of the way, and positioned itself for its next attack. For a Psyduck, this thing is giving us quite a challenge that I wasn't expecting, which is somewhat a good thing along with it being a bad thing, if that made sense.

"Now Shinx, use Spark!" I said.

As I said, I didn't wanna spend every other turn setting up. It would get kinda boring, and pretty predictable for not only me but also for Corona. So I have to mix it up so that we can keep her on her toes. And it seems that Spark did enough damage to finish off Psyduck, as its body returned to normal.

"Ack! Dammit!" Corona shouted as her Cosimo Ball shattered. "I knew I should've had another Psyduck of my own!"

"Give up?" I asked.

"I refuse to!" Corona said. "Not until I defeat you! Kirlia, you're next!" She then shouted as she threw her Poké Ball.

What came out looked a lot more normal than what I just battled moments ago. Kirlia are somewhat common in Sinnoh, closer to the mainland that is, so I have an idea of what to expect out of one.

"All right Shinx, use Spark!" I said.

I am slightly hoping that we can paralyze Kirlia, but I don't think we'll be able to do that right away. It's worth a shot though.

"Dodge it!" Corona shouted.

As soon as Shinx got close enough, Kirlia teleported out of the way, and to another spot. This isn't good. If Kirlia can do that to avoid our attacks, then we have to be even faster or something. It's gonna be tough for sure.

"Use Psychic!" Corona then said.

Kirlia attacked Shinx with a very powerful telekinetic force, enough to send Shinx flying toward me! Again, how is Team Space able to have access to powerful moves like these?! I don't understand!

"Shinx, you okay?!" I asked.

Shinx was barely able to get back up and nod at me. That Psychic did a lot of damage. I don't think it's gonna be able to go for much longer than this. None of its stats were lowered though, so that's probably the only good news to come from this.

"This isn't good at all," I said to myself. "Wait, I got an idea. Use Charge."

Shinx knew where I was going with this plan. If we can raise our Special Defense enough to be able to take another Psychic just fine, then we have a better chance of going a bit longer. That is unless we get hit by a critical hit or something. I probably just jinxed myself after that. Don't worry, I won't do the obvious pun that you were expecting. So be glad I saved you the pain.

"Had a feeling you were going to do that," Corona said. "In that case, Kirlia, use Draining Kiss."

Kirlia made its way to Shinx, and gave it a pretty powerful kiss, causing some energy to be drained from it. That energy that was taken from Shinx was used to slightly heal up Kirlia. This is really bad. I almost took a step back since I thought that would counter our plan.

"Don't worry Ian," Mike yelled. "Despite how it looks, Draining Kiss does special damage, not physical. So you're just fine." Are you kidding me? Kirlia physically went to Shinx to kiss it, and yet that apparently does special damage? What's with this logic?! Then again, I'm a character in a universe that has extremely questionable logic, so I really shouldn't be complaining.

"Huh?" I asked myself as I turned around.

"You shouldn't be worrying about him you idiot!" Corona yelled. "Hey! I'm over here! He's not relevant right now!"

"How about you calm down and wait a moment?!" I snapped. "Yeesh. Someone's really impatient." Seriously. If I didn't have to battle her, then I probably would've been stalling her for a good while. Unless she starts to attack me that is.

"Excuse me?!" Corona asked.

"You heard me," I responded. "Shinx, let's keep up the pressure! Use Spark!"

I know we keep going back and forth between Charge and Spark, but it's the best I could do in terms of delivering the most amount of damage as possible. But I'm very concerned about Psychic and Draining Kiss. If Shinx can't finish the job, then I can go to Chimchar to do it. Or even Staravia.

"Show them what pressure really means Kirlia!" Corona said. "Use Magical Leaf!"

Here I was, expecting Kirlia to go for the KO with Psychic, but I was way wrong. I swear, this Kirlia is pretty loaded. Think about it: It's got a move for heavy damage, a damaging move that also heals itself, a move with a guaranteed hit, and something else. I could try and use a Z-Move right now, but that's pretty risky. Shinx is not in good enough shape to use a Z-Move. Maybe I'll just have to take the KO and let Chimchar finish it off.

"Don't give up Shinx," I said. "Use Leer."

The best I can do now is set up with Shinx, then send out Chimchar for the final blows. From the looks of it, Kirlia doesn't seem to have the best of physical Defense, so this'll be great for Chimchar.

"You're not even going to attack?" Corona asked. "Man are you weak. Kirlia, use Draining Kiss."

One hurtful kiss later, and that's it for Shinx. I'm pretty sure no matter what move Kirlia used next, it was gonna do enough damage to knock out Shinx. So I wasn't mad or sad that Shinx couldn't last the entire battle.

As I put Shinx back in its Poké Ball, I smirked a bit, knowing that we set ourselves up rather nicely. Now we'll have to see if that Leer would've actually mattered.

"What are you smiling about?" Corona asked. "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," I responded. "Chimchar, let's finish the job!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my partner.

"Char!" Chimchar shouted as it came out of its Poké Ball.

"Well crap," Corona said. "I think I'm starting to realize what he's doing."

"Oh do you?" I asked. "Let's see if your assumptions are right. Chimchar, use Ember!"

We're gonna keep our distance to start, then get in close as the battle progresses. That being said, Chimchar only knows one special attack, so it almost eliminates the point of my strategy. Same goes for lowering Kirlia's physical Defense with Shinx. Eh, better to start it safe than work our way in right away.

"We have to finish this quick Kirlia," Corona said. "Use Psychic." Is it just me, or was Corona gradually calming down as Shinx was getting closer to getting knocked out or something? I feel like I'm not making sense at the same time. You know what I mean.

Psychic seemed to do a pretty good amount of damage to Chimchar. I don't even know if we can even dodge Psychic, since there's no visual part to show that the move has made contact with Chimchar. I think our best bet for that would be Dig, but I don't know if Psychic can still hit even when Chimchar's underground. Ugh. So many choices with big risks to go along with them.

"Now Chimchar, use Dig!" I said. Gonna go for it, and see if I'm right. I'm gonna have to experiment during this battle.

Chimchar quickly dug its tunnel and got in as fast as it could. Even it was worried that Psychic could be enough to finish us. Now we have to see what Corona does next.

"Crap," Corona said to herself. "Kirlia, keep your eyes peeled. Chimchar can be anywhere."

Kirlia turned to nod at Corona, but when it turned back to the battle, it had already been struck by Chimchar.

"Quick Chimchar, back into the hole!" I said.

Since Chimchar was still in the air, it was able to line itself up with the hole again, and went back inside. I can tell that it was expanding the tunnel, as I felt a slight rumble under my feet.

"What is he doing?!" Corona asked herself. "Get it out of there with Psychic!" Jeez, she's really that desperate to finish the battle quickly, isn't she? I get that Magical Leaf won't do her any good since it isn't very effective, but she's also got Draining Kiss and another move that she has yet to use. I'm low-key hoping that it isn't Double Team, as that move can get really annoying very fast.

Now we have to see if Chimchar can still be hit with Psychic even though it's in the tunnel. As Kirlia's eyes started to glow, I crossed my fingers, hoping that my plan can go smoothly. The result? It looks like not even a powerful Psychic-Type move is enough to go through the ground and reach Chimchar. So it's safe from it. That's great for us. I just gotta try and not do this every time Kirlia goes for Psychic. Otherwise, we'll be here for a lot longer than either of us would like.

"Phew," I said as I sighed in relief. "At least I know that I have a way to be safe from Psychic now."

"You fucking brat," Corona said. "You're just using cheap strategies to luck your way out of this battle."

"You seriously call my strategies cheap?" I snapped back. "If you had a Pokémon with Dig and I had a Pokémon with Psychic, would you have done the same thing?"

"Umm," Corona hesitated, struggling to find a response.

"I thought so," I said. "Chimchar, come out of the tunnel and use Flame Wheel!"

Heading for the nearest exit, Chimchar popped out and quickly struck Kirlia with Flame Wheel, doing a pretty good amount of damage. Looks like the set up I did with Shinx is starting to pay off finally.

"Get ahold of yourself Kirlia!" Corona said. "Use Psychic before it goes back into the tunnel!" And now she's getting all worked up again. Seems she gets even more worked up when things are not going her way. But that's just my assumption. I am making so many assumptions in this chapter alone. Don't judge me.

Kirlia was able to respond rather quickly, grabbing Chimchar with Psychic as it was diving into the tunnel. Chimchar was then thrown toward me! I thought I had to jump out of the way since Chimchar was thrown pretty hard, but it stopped right in front of me. That impact really must've hurt. A lot to say the least.

"You alright Chimchar?!" I asked. Chimchar didn't look too good at the moment. That didn't even look like a critical hit, yet it did so much. How's this possible?!

Chimchar did get back up, but it got up rather slowly. Now I'm starting to get worried. Seems my plan of using the tunnels is gonna backfire since most of Chimchar's attacks are physical. After all, having Chimchar close to Kirlia when it uses a physical attack leaves it an easy target for Kirlia to use Psychic.

"If he's going to use physical attacks, then we should help ourselves," Corona said to herself. "Kirlia, use Reflect."

Kirlia's eyes glowed again, but some sort of transparent sphere appeared around it, then it faded before letting Kirlia's body sparkle a bit. That's just great. If I remember correctly, Reflect raises an entire team's physical Defense for a bit. That's admittedly really clever given that Kirlia has more Special Defense than physical Defense.

"Crap," I said to myself.

"Surprised?" Corona asked. "You should be."

"That doesn't matter," I said. "As long as we're still going, that's what matters! You with me Chimchar?!"

"Char!" Chimchar shouted. A short time later, Chimchar's body started to glow. Then its body started to grow. It's evolving! This is perfect timing!

"Monferno!" My partner shouted after it evolved.

"This is great!" I said. "Chimchar just evolved into Monferno!" I had a feeling one of my Pokémon were due to evolve very soon, and there we are. I just had to take out my Pokédex to see what it had to say.

" _Monferno: The Playful Pokémon, and the evolved form of Chimchar. A Fire and Fighting Type_ ," The Pokédex read. " _Monferno makes clever use of ceilings and walls in order to launch aerial attacks. It can control the intensity of its flame on its tail to keep opponents at a distance_."

"Oh that's just fucking great," Corona said. "Just when this battle couldn't get any worse, one of his Pokémon evolves mid-battle. Wonderful. Then again, now we have an even stronger Pokémon to get our hands on."

"You say that, but as for pulling it off, that's debatable," I said. "Got anything else to say?"

"I've got nothing else, except that we will still wipe your ass right now!" Corona shouted. "Even if your Pokémon just evolved! Kirlia, use Draining Kiss!"

"Dodge it!" I said.

As Kirlia got close, Monferno lept on top of Kirlia, and jumped once again. It even did a somersault before sticking the landing. A bit overkill, but I don't mind.

"Now use Ember!" I said.

Already facing Kirlia, Monferno wasted no time to fire Ember at it. Even if we didn't get the burn, it still seem to do a lot more than when Monferno was still a Chimchar. I'm already liking what I'm seeing.

"Come on Kirlia!" Corona said in frustration. "Use Psychic and finish it!"

Even if Monferno booked it for the closest tunnel without me having to tell it to do so, it still wasn't fast enough to avoid Psychic. Unfortunately, since Monferno is now part Fighting, so Psychic does even more damage than before. Gotta be even more careful now.

"Hang in there Monferno!" I said. "Use Flame Wheel!"

Even if the Reflect was still active, Monferno's Flame Wheel still hit pretty damn hard. In addition, it landed a critical hit at just the right moment! Man did the tides really turn during this battle.

"Argh! Give it a Draining Kiss!" Corona shouted.

Kirlia did manage to get it fast enough to kiss Monferno and absorb energy from it. It seemed to do neutral damage this time, as opposed to when it was still Chimchar. So, does that mean that Chimchar originally resisted Fairy-Type moves? I know that Fighting Types are weak to Fairy, but I always seem to get the Fairy resistances mixed. But I should've known that earlier since Draining Kiss barely did any damage back when Monferno was still Chimchar. Better late than never I guess.

"Well Corona, it has been a pleasure battling with you, but I'm afraid we must end it here now," I said. "Ready Monferno?!"

"Ferno!" Monferno responded as it did a backflip.

"Then let's do it!" I then said as I activated my Z-Power Ring. I had to settle for Breakneck Blitz since the Normalium Z was the only Z-Crystal that I have at the moment. Maybe I should ask Jill if I can borrow her Firium Z for some battles. Obviously it's too late now, but it was a thought that came up as I was doing the pose for the Normal-Type Z-Move.

Monferno started to charge its Z-Power as soon as I completed my pose. It even followed along, and did the pose with me! I thought it was kinda cool and adorable at the same time. I couldn't help but smile when I saw that.

"LET'S GO MONFERNO!" I yelled.

The energy around Monferno stopped glowing, and the Z-Move symbol briefly appeared before fading with the rest of the light. Now it's time to let 'em have it.

"Let's turn our strong bond into our full power!" I shouted. "Use Breakneck Blitz!"

Monferno booked it like crazy, ramming into Kirlia like it was nothing, easily knocking it out, and giving us the win. Come to think of it, it has been a little while since I've used a Z-Move. It felt quite refreshing. But one thing is certain, I do need to go look for more Z-Crystals. Granted I get some after defeating Gyms, but I'm sure there's more than what I get from the Gyms alone. And that also goes for Jill with the Trials as well.

"Dammit," Corona said under her breath. She was clenching her fist as she put Kirlia back in its Poké Ball.

"A-Admin C?" A Grunt asked. "What do we do now?"

"We retreat," Corona responded.

"Seriously?!" Another Grunt asked. "You're just gonna give up like that?! After we almost had him?!"

"Were you not listening idiot?" Corona asked the Grunt. "The deal was if he won, then we would leave. And that's exactly what we're doing. That's an order!"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" The Grunts responded, then they took off for the exit that they came in.

"You!" Corona said as she pointed to me again. She really likes pointing at people, doesn't she? Guess she wants to make a point. "Don't you think this will be the last time we come across each other."

"We'll always be ready for you," I said.

"Pfft," Corona scoffed. "Team, fall back! We're retreating!" And just like that, they were gone a few minutes later.

"'Bout time they left," Jill said.

"No kidding," I said.

Mike walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Great job buddy!" He complimented.

"Thanks Mike," I responded.

"So, these your new friends?" Mike then asked me.

"Indeed they are," I responded. "I'm pretty sure you guys all know who this guy is."

"Oh I'm sure they all do know who I am," Mike said.

"Ian, how do you and the Champion know each other?" Elio asked.

"To put it simply: We're cousins," Mike responded.

"No way!" Selene said. "Why didn't you tell us?!"

"I wanted to surprise you!" I said. "That's all!"

"You sure surprised us," Jill said.

Mike did chuckle as he listened to our conversation. It feels so great to finally see him again after four years. "Anyway, what are your names?" He asked my friends.

"I'm Jill!" Jill said.

"The name's Elio," Elio said.

"And I'm Selene!" Selene said.

"Great to meet you all!" Mike said. "I've heard a lot from Katie about you especially Jill. I owe you one."

"Eh?" Jill said as she blushed. "What do you mean by that? I didn't do anything."

"You were there for Ian," Mike responded. "And being a great friend for him. I have to thank you for that."

"Oh, I just enjoy making new friends," Jill said. "It really wasn't a big deal at all."

"Well, still," Mike said. "Thanks for doing that for me. Sometimes, I get a little too worried about him ever since I heard he was moving here."

"Why is that?" Selene asked. "Ian has been able to hold his own ever since we met him."

"That's a bit personal," Mike responded.

"What he said," I added.

"There you guys are!" Mrs. Laverty said as she was coming toward us.

"Mrs. Laverty!" Mike and Katie said.

"Mike! Katie!" Mrs. Laverty said as she noticed them. "Wow, most of the gang is here! Great to see you all!"

"Great to see you as well!" Mike said. "I just had to come back since I have the weekend off. It's basically my second home ever since Katie and I moved here."

"I can understand," Mrs. Laverty said.

"So, what's up?" Katie asked.

"Mr. William wanted me to let you guys know that we're dismissing early since the school suffered some damage," Mrs. Laverty said. "And there's a good chance we might be closed until the cleanup and repairs are complete."

"Got it," I said.

"Thanks," Jill said.

"No problem!" Mrs. Laverty said. "I would really love to stay and talk, but I have to head back inside. Great seeing you again Mike!"

"You too!" Mike responded. "Hey, I just got an idea."

"What?" Katie asked.

"Why don't we go back to my house and hang out for a while?" Mike offered. "My treat."

"That sounds like fun!" Jill said.

"Sure does!" Elio said.

"I must be dreaming," Selene said.

"Face it Selene, it's reality," Mike said after laughing at Selene's comment.

"You sure your parents won't mind?" Jill asked.

"They won't mind at all," Mike responded. "Just make sure your parents are fine with that though, alright? I don't wanna cause trouble for anyone. And Ian, while we wait, you and I have some catching up to do!"

"No doubt," I said.

Mike and I started to walk to the front of the property as we were talking. As that was going on, Jill, Elio, and Selene's parents were fine with them coming with us to Mike's house. I didn't need to ask my dad since he was at work already. Thankfully, we were able to ride the Pokémon Mike's friends had. Jill went with Jill on her Tauros, Elio went with Edwin on a rather intimidating Pokémon with three heads, and Selene went with Sara on her Flygon. Of course, I went with Mike on his Rapidash. Would've been cool to ride his Snowkey, but I'm not complaining at all. Before we left for his house, we put our Pokémon back in their Poké Balls.

Mike wasn't kidding when he said that the group that helped us at the high school was only a portion of the full group. There were a lot more people to say the least. He might as well throw a party with this many people. Seriously. That's a lot more friends that I ever had, even when I was living in Sinnoh. Even Uncle Bryce was home for this! I'm getting flashbacks of our family reunion back in Nimbasa City.

While the entire group was chatting around different parts of the yard, Mike and Katie wanted to talk to Jill and I about something. Though it didn't seem to be for fun, as Mike did seem rather serious.

"So, Katie told me that Team Space was after something peculiar at the Pokémon Middle Ranch a few weeks ago," Mike started. "What was it that they were after?"

"It was the special Ponyta that you guys helped raise," Jill responded.

"So it was that," Mike said.

"What's so special about it anyway?" I asked. "I get that it's got a rare color scheme, but is there anything else to it?"

Mike and Katie looked at each other before Mike spoke up again. "How about we tell you guys what we know and discovered about that form?" He asked.

"Sure," I said.

"I would love to!" Jill added.

"Then how about you two say hello to my Rapidash before we get started?" Mike said as he tossed his Poké Ball, calling out his Rapidash.

"No way," Jill said. "Rapidash can have those colors as well?"

"Yep," Mike responded. "Anyway, where do I even start?"

"How about you start with how it performed in battle compared to normal Ponyta and Rapidash?" Katie suggested.

"That's actually a good point," Mike said. "So, over the course of our journey, during both our Senior Year and our world journey, we noticed that my Rapidash is a bit stronger than normal ones. It even seems to have better defenses compared to normal Ponyta and Rapidash, as it lasted longer in tougher battles than normal ones. And that even trickles down to when Rapidash Mega Evolves."

"Wait, Rapidash has a Mega Evolution?!" Jill asked in surprise.

"Yep!" Katie responded.

"Umm, if you don't mind me asking, but what is Mega Evolution?" I asked. I basically never hear about it in Sinnoh, but it seems to be more common over here.

"Right, Sinnoh Trainers are not as used to it as we are," Mike said. "That's fine though. Let me explain. Basically, Mega Evolution is a special phenomenon where the Pokémon is able to temporarily transform into an even stronger form. However, it's only possible when the Pokémon has a strong bond with its Trainer. Does that make sense to you?"

"I get what you mean," I said. "That sounds really cool though."

"Yeah, and it's very powerful depending on the Pokémon you have," Mike said. "Anyway, getting back to what's at hand. Turns out this is actually a new form of Ponyta and Rapidash."

"Is it a New England Form?" Jill asked. "Or some other kind of Regional Variant?"

"No, actually," Mike said. "This form is extremely similar to the original. It retains the same pure Fire Type, always has Flame Body for its Ability, and has access to the same moves. The only real difference is that this form is slightly stronger."

"I do have a question," I said. "Are there any Shiny versions of this form?"

"We've only seem images of it, as that one is even rarer than the standard one," Katie said.

"Where did you guys first hear of this form?" I asked.

"It was during our visit to Kanto," Mike started. "We met someone who had a Ponyta of this form as well, and she knew a lot more about it than we did. However, there was no actual name for this form. So we decided to come up the name for it."

"Before you tell us the name of the form, what were the colors of the Shiny?" Jill asked.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that," Mike said. "So, that Ponyta's body was a dark grey with red flames for the mane, green flames for the back, and yellow flames for the tail."

"I even took a picture of the image on my phone," Katie said as she was looking through her phone's gallery. "Here, this is what it looked like."

"It's so beautiful," Jill said. "Have there been any other Shinies of this Ponyta? Or even Rapidash?"

"So far, there have been no others," Mike said. "But we're still looking to see if any of these Shinies still exist at all."

"I see," I said. "Anyway, what was the name you guys came up with?"

"We decided to call it Rainbow Form," Mike said.

"We even told the other Champions about it, and all of the regional Pokédexes have been updated with the new name," Katie added. "Including yours."

"Seriously?" I asked.

"It's had that all this time, and we're finding out about this now?" Jill added. "How come no one else has heard about the name if they know the form exists? Is it that rare? Or is the name still very new?"

"It's a combination of both," Mike said. "There have been sightings of Rainbow Ponyta in the wild, but they're extremely rare to come by, almost as rare as a Shiny Pokémon. Finding the Shiny Rainbow Ponyta is almost near impossible to say the least."

"Then how the heck did you get one so easily?" Jill asked.

"I really don't know," Mike said. "I guess it was just about being at the right place at the right time."

"Come on Mike, that's not the real reason," Katie told him.

"Ok ok ok," Mike said. "So, we later find out that my Pikachu and Rapidash, back when it was still Ponyta to be exact, were victim to the abusive modification process of Team Frost. But thanks to Katie's Mimikyu, they were all able to break out and barely escape. They eventually made their way to us."

"But Ponyta didn't have those colors when we first met it," Katie added. "It actually had the standard orange flames of a regular Ponyta all the way through. Team Frost was actually in the process of reverting Ponyta back to its original colors to disguise it as a regular one when they were gonna modify it, but Mimikyu managed to rescue it before it could get modified."

"How did it go back to its original colors when you caught it?" I asked.

"It wasn't until we got our Z-Rings," Mike said. "The power of the Z-Ring was somehow able to purify Ponyta, allowing it to go back to normal. Or in this case, back to its Rainbow Form."

"That's amazing," Jill said.

"Now that we know this form exists, we can assume that Team Frost was gonna use this stronger form back then, and it seems we're experiencing a repeat with Team Space," Mike said.

"So, is there any reasoning behind this form at all?" Jill asked.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Katie said.

"Was there anything else you guys discovered about the Rainbow Form?" I asked.

"As of now, we know nothing else," Mike responded. "We already told the group about it. Can we count on you two to pass the information to the others?"

"Definitely!" Jill said.

"Great, thanks," Mike said. "So Ian, I heard you got your second Gym Battle coming up, am I right?"

"Oh yes!" I responded. "You gonna come?"

"I'll see when I'm available," Mike said. "When are you gonna go?"

"Sometime next week," I responded.

"Then why don't you shoot for next weekend, and I can come home again to watch you?" Mike offered. "I can help you with your training if you want me to."

"That would be great!" I said. "Though, I think it would be slightly unfair if I let the Champion help me with my training."

"Fair enough," Mike said. "If you need anything at all, you let me know, alright?"

"Will do," I said. "Thanks."

Now I'm even more excited. Not only is Mike gonna be home for two weekends in a row, but he's gonna come watch my next Gym Battle! Even he can tell I was getting excited. But I had to keep it in check, as my excitement could lead to my defeat. Plus I still have to do some training until then. For the time being, I went to see Uncle Bryce and caught up with him as well for a bit.

After I talked with Uncle Bryce, Mike let me see some of his other Pokémon, including his Shiny Pikachu that he named Sparky, and his Snowkey! I was even able to ride it! Jill was also able to ride it while I got to pet Rapidash. Primarina also wanted some love as well, so I paid some attention to it as well. Seems Mike and Katie told their Pokémon that they were gonna be meeting Jill and I, as they were pretty excited. Did I also mention that Snowkey was able to speak human language flawlessly?! Man, this day really was something for me. First it started off kinda boring, then it got intense with Team Space, and it ended off with me reuniting with my cousin. I'd say that's a good day if I say so myself.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

When I woke up, I saw nothing but white all around me. The only things there were the things I had in my bedroom in the exact same spots as my bedroom. There was a door right in front of me, but other than that, there was nothing left. It felt extremely empty. Almost too empty. Where am I?

As I looked around, I saw someone walking by the room that I was in. That person looked very familiar to me. Is that… Mom? What is she doing here?

"Now I got you just where I want you," Mom said. "You've been doing nothing but ruining my perfect plans!"

"Plans?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you not realize the crap you've caused for me?!" Mom then scolded me.

"Mom, I don't understand what you're telling me," I said. "What are these 'plans' that you're talking about? And why are you so pissed off?"

"Don't lie to me mister! Now you get to stay here until my plans are complete! Also, don't get too rowdy. Or too comfortable." Then she left. What is with her? I don't get this. This is opposite of how Mom behaves. She would never say that stuff to me, unless she's really pissed. But she makes it up for something like that a little while later.

Even if she is pissed right now, what did I even do to make her like that? Literally nothing. I haven't even seen her since we moved! Am I missing something? I'm very clueless as to what's happening.

Things got even weirder. The floor started to give out, and everything was swirling around, like I'm being sucked into a vortex. Everything that was being sucked into the center of this vortex simply disappeared, and I was caught in it. There was no way for me to get out, no matter how much I tried. I think this is gonna be the end of me. Once I got to the center, everything went black almost instantly. Dead silence. Nothing else.

I almost screamed as I launched myself up in my bed. I felt myself sweating a little bit. Even though I was sweating, I was shivering. Probably shivering in fear of what I just saw. It was just a nightmare. A very scary one might I add.

"What the hell was that?!" I asked myself. I turned over to my phone to see what the time was. It read 3:34 A.M. I could just try to go back to sleep now, but I always get scared to go back to sleep every time I wake up from a nightmare. Tonight is no exception to that. I had to do something to clear my mind of what I just dreamed of. I would really like to talk to Jill, but she's still asleep right now, and I don't wanna wake her up at this time of night.

As I laid back down, I checked my phone to see if I had any notifications, and I see that Jill had just texted me. She wanted me to call her? Why? I mean, I did want to talk to her, but I didn't think that she would be up. So I unlocked my phone and dialed her. While my phone was calling her, I plugged in my headphones so that I can have my phone down while talking to her.

" _Ian_?" Jill asked as she answered her phone. " _You up_?"

"I wouldn't be if I was calling you," I responded. "What's wrong?"

" _I just woke up from a pretty terrifying nightmare, and just needed to talk to someone_ ," Jill responded.

"You as well?"

" _Yeah. You had a nightmare, too_?"

"Yeah. Incidentally, I wanted to talk to you, but I didn't wanna wake you up since it's very early in the morning."

" _Ian, you know I'm always available to talk, even at a time like this. But, I think the roles had swapped for right now, or even have both of us fill the same role. Does that make sense_?"

"I get it. Can I ask you something?"

" _Sure_."

"What do you usually do when after waking up from a nightmare?"

" _I usually listen to some relaxing music and look through some cute pictures on my phone. Why do you ask_?"

"I'm just having a hard time making myself go back to sleep. I always get scared to go back to sleep after waking up from a nightmare, but I don't think I've ever been this scared. I even woke up sweating and shivering at the same time."

" _That sounds awful. Do you need me to come over and give you a hug? I can walk over there if you want_."

"I would love to, but I don't wanna see you get in trouble."

" _I'll be fine. Plus, my parents were called to the Daycare for an emergency with one of the Pokémon, and they haven't come home yet_."

"Are you serious?"

" _Yeah. I feel kinda lonely whenever that happens, and that happens a lot_."

"Has Leo come to see you at times like this?"

" _No, not at all. Sometimes, he has to stay overnight at his job, plus he doesn't live in town, so him comforting me for these kind of situations are out of the question. In addition, he's a pretty deep sleeper, and his phone is on silent at night whenever he's not at work_."

"That's a shame."

" _Yeah. I'm used to it though. So, do you want me to come over? I'll leave a note for my parents if I do, just to let them know that I'm here_."

"If you want to. I don't wanna make up your mind for you."

" _Then how about I come and spend the rest of the night with you? I'm sure your dad won't mind_."

"Wait wait wait, whoa. Not once did I ask you to sleep over at the last minute, especially right now. My dad would kill me if I ever did that."

" _I don't think your dad ever told you then_."

"Told me what?"

" _He told me that if you ever wanted me to come over for the night at the last second, then he'll be fine with it. He was very forgiving about that, to my surprise_."

"Yeah, he can be forgiving, but not to that extent."

" _Your dad does trust me after all. He sees me as your second sister, and I think that's pretty accurate_." It was at that moment that I blushed pretty fast. Is Dad trying to emphasize the ship or something?! How come he or Jill never told me about this?! I don't wanna take full advantage of that, but still!

"That is true," I said. "I mean, we're best friends for crying out loud."

" _Plus, you still seem to have a slightly frightened tone in your voice_ ," Jill said. " _Do you want me to come and sleep over? It'll give us a chance to share the excitement of tomorrow's Gym Battle together after all. Or today if we're being specific_."

"You do have a point there. All right, get your stuff and come over. I'll get the garage opened for you."

" _Cool. See you in a few_."

After we hung up, I blushed again. I don't get it. Jill has slept over before, but this is the first time that I'm blushing about the fact that she's sleeping over. My heart even started to beat a bit faster. I think my crush on her is starting to get stronger. Am I… Starting to fall in love? I don't recall my feelings for a girl becoming this strong before. Better keep myself calm so I don't embarrass myself, if that's the case. I should really talk to Dad, Katie, or somebody else about this.

Once Jill got here, I had to move a few things so she can have enough room to sleep. As I made my way back to help her with her stuff, she put it all down to give me a tight hug. I was taken back at first, but quickly returned it. I felt so much more relaxed as soon as I hugged her.

"You doing okay now?" Jill asked me.

"A little bit," I said. "Sorry that I had you come over."

"Ian, there's no need to apologize," Jill told me. "We're best friends. We look out for each other all the time. So there's no need to be sorry."

"Yeah, you're right. I really shouldn't be worrying about a lot of things all the time. I've got a bunch of people backing me up after all."

"Exactly. So just relax, and let's get back to sleep. You'll need all the energy you can get for your Gym Battle."

"Good point."

We hugged each other one last time before we climbed into bed again, and both of us were out a little while later. For some reason, I fell asleep much faster now than when I first climbed into bed a few hours ago. That's weird.

I was originally gonna get up for around 9:30, but Dad apparently let me sleep in a bit more, as the clock read 11:49 when I finally woke up. I hope I didn't oversleep or anything, as I had some people coming to watch my battle today. But it seems everyone was already here as I was making my way upstairs.

"There you are sleepyhead," Mike said as he saw me come into the kitchen. "Slept well?"

"Somewhat," I responded.

"Jill told me what happened last night," Dad said. "You doing fine now?"

"Yeah," I said. "I was surprised that you even let that happen. You and Mom never let that happen with any of my Sinnoh friends."

"I know, but your mother and I decided take a step back, and be a little more lenient when it comes to your friends," Dad explained. "You're eighteen now, so you should be able to know who you can and can't trust when choosing your friends. Besides, I think you can safely admit that Jill is one of the best friends you've met."

"Dad stop!" I quickly said and blushed. "You're embarrassing me!"

"Aww, is that what you think Ian?" Jill asked me.

It was at that moment that I started burning up. So I simply hid my face in my shirt in embarrassment. Granted, I do look at Jill like that, but Dad had no business doing what he just did to me. I wish he can realize what he's doing, and how I feel about it.

"Hey, there's no need to be embarrassed," Jill quickly said. "'Cause I feel the same about you." That made me take my head out of my shirt, and pay more attention. Cause she's got that tone in her voice that tells you that she's telling the truth. "Other than Leo, Elio, and Selene for the past few years, you were one of a few people that I've really opened up to," She continued. "Even Sara, Hannah, Edwin, and Katie have let me do the same. But when it comes to you, I look at you as my second brother."

Just when I thought the surprise hug didn't take me back enough, this took me back even further. I was left speechless. I was with someone else back in Sinnoh, and not once was I told that. I don't remember sharing a bond with someone that could've been this close.

"Cole, I think you're trying to force a ship here," Katie said from the living room. Jill started to blush as well, but I couldn't stop blushing.

"Jill said that, not me!" Dad said.

"Oh. Well, I take that back," Katie quickly responded.

We all chuckled at Katie's comment. Beth and Bryce were also here as well, to my surprise. Even Elio was here. Like I said, everyone that I invited was here. Though Selene wasn't here for some reason.

"Hey, where's Selene?" I asked.

"She couldn't make it," Elio said. "She had to do some things with her family. She wishes you the best of luck though."

"All right," I said. "So, where exactly is the Gym in Westbrook?"

"Right on the beach!" Mike said. "So we're gonna combine your Gym Battle with a day on the beach since we have the chance to do so."

"Sounds like fun," I said. Personally, I'd rather go to a waterpark than the beach or a pool. That's kinda ironic now that I brought it up. I love water slides, but don't like most amusement park rides. Go figure. Even if the beach has a simple one, I'll still do it. A lot of times, and actually make that beach worth visiting for me. I'm not expecting it to though, and I have a feeling they're not gonna have one.

"I know you're not crazy about the beach, but I think today will be an exception," Dad said.

"I hope so," I said. "Wait, did you take today off?"

Mike suddenly bursted into laughter after I asked my question. "Dude, it took you that long to realize that your dad was still home?!" He asked.

"I'm not fully awake yet Mike, so don't tease me about it," I said.

"Oh boy," Mike said as he was trying to calm down. "Sorry, that was just too funny for me."

"Mike, that really wasn't nice," Katie said after she smacked his shoulder.

"Sorry," Mike said. "I got a bigger kick out of that than I should've."

"Clearly," I said. "Anyway, shouldn't you be at work by now Dad?"

"I told them that I wanted to see you off to your Gym Battle, so they told me that I have to be in for at least 12:30," Dad said.

"Ah," I said. "So, once we get down there, what're we gonna do first?"

"We'll leave that up to you," Mike responded. "You get to call most of the shots."

"Cool," I said. "I'm gonna go get ready then. Jill, wanna meet me downstairs?"

"Sure," Jill said as she followed me downstairs. "Wait, where are you gonna change? I know there's a second room down here, but does that even have a door attached?"

"Actually, there's a second bathroom down here," I said.

"Oh," Jill said. "That's convenient."

"Yep," I said as I got my clothes out. "Be out in a sec."

"Ok."

I waste no time when it comes to changing my clothes. It hasn't even been thirty seconds since I got in here, and I'm already done.

"Already done," I said as I came out of the bathroom.

"That was quick," Jill said. "You still have to pack a few things, right?"

"Yeah," I said. "I just wanted to chat with someone as I packed."

"That's fine," Jill said.

"Also, sorry if my dad was being a little embarrassing," I quickly said.

"Don't worry about it. Besides, I don't think we even asked about our ages anyway."

"That is true. But, then again, that should've been a give away for me since I took you to the Pokémon Middle Ranch by myself."

"You're right."

"Anyway, how old are you Jill?"

"Seventeen. Gonna be eighteen real soon!"

"Nice. Wait, how old is Leo?"

"He's nineteen."

"How are you two still able to date then? Technically speaking, you're still a minor, and Leo is an adult."

"I had a feeling you were gonna ask that at some point. See, Leo and I were fully aware of that when we first started hanging out, and we agreed that we'll go on our first real date around my birthday. For the meantime, we'll just tell anyone that try to ask us out that we're with someone else already."

"That makes sense now. 'Cause you had me worried for a second."

"Don't worry, I should've told you earlier. My bad."

"Now that we got that cleared up, when's your birthday?"

"October 12th. Your's?"

"Mine was back in April. The 7th to be exact."

"Oh that's nice. You a fan of the warm weather?"

"I don't mind it. Though I am pretty sensitive to the cold."

"Ah. I see. Did you ever go to the beach when you lived in Sunyshore City, despite what I heard from your dad?"

"Rarely. I'm not really a beach goer myself."

"How come?"

"While it is nice to relax in the sun, I end up getting bored really fast. Plus I really don't like swimming in the ocean. The only time I'll ever go in the water is if I was with friends."

"Ah. That's understandable."

"Yeah. Makes me wonder how those people are doing."

"I'm sure you miss them."

"I kinda do."

"'Kinda?'"

"It's a long story. I really don't wanna talk about it."

"Did something bad happen back then?"

"Jill, I said I don't wanna talk about it. But yes, something bad did happen back in Sunyshore. Something that affected me for pretty much the rest of my life. And we'll leave it at that." I really gotta find a good time to talk about that with her, and the rest of the group. Mike knows the story already, but I don't think everyone else knows about it.

Once I finished packing, we made our made back upstairs to meet up with everyone else. Dad was just about to head out, so he managed to say goodbye to me before he left. Yeah, this is a small group going, especially compared to the amount of people that came to watch Jill at her Trial, but everyone else was busy. Which honestly made me feel a little sad. I kinda wish more people would come. I mean, Sara, Hannah, and Edwin said that they'll try to make it out to watch Jill and I at every Challenge site.

"Ready Ian?" Mike asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"How about you Jill?" Katie asked.

"Ready!" Jill responded.

"Then let's get going!" Bryce said.

"Ian, we'll take the lead going down," Beth told me. "That okay with you?"

"Fine by me," I said. "I don't even know how to get there anyway."

"That's fine," Beth said.

"Oh, Ian, did you make sure to bring some things to keep you occupied on the beach?" Mike suddenly asked. "Cause I know you can get bored pretty fast when ever you go."

"Don't worry, I made sure of that," I responded.

"Good," Mike said. "'Cause we might be there for most of the day."

"Well, is there anything else in the area?" I asked. "We can always do that after my Gym Battle."

"Well, there is Ocean Beach Park in New London," Katie said. "That's not too far away from Westbrook Beach. Maybe a half an hour drive at best. You wanna go there after the battle?"

"If you guys don't mind?" I asked.

"I don't mind as long as the rest of the group is cool with it," Katie said. "You know, it would be kinda nice if we did go there again Mike. We haven't been there since our first visit. Remember?"

"Oh yeah," Mike said. "I remember that place. What did we even do down there besides having fun?"

"I don't remember," Katie said. "But we haven't been there ever since. I do kinda miss that place anyway. I remember being pretty impressed with it."

"So do I," Mike said. "Want me to see if Ash and Dawn can come with us Ian?"

"I thought you said everyone else was busy?" I pointed out.

"I think you were talking about the people that you invited," Mike said. "But we can check with those two. Give me a sec," He then said as he pulled out his phone and walked out to the front yard.

"How about we start getting ready to head out?" Beth suggested.

"Good idea," I said. "Jill, Elio, you two coming with me?"

"You bet!" Elio said.

"Yep!" Jill said.

While Beth and Bryce made their way to their cars, Jill, Elio, and I made our way to my van in the garage. I do kinda hope we get to go to Ocean Beach Park after my Gym Battle. Just the name alone sounds like that place has more than just the beach. Now I'm interested.

Mike told us that Ash and Dawn are able to come with us, and will be at my house within ten minutes. So we just waited outside and chatted until they arrived. Just like the last time that I saw them, they came flying in on Ash's Charizard. That's so badass, and awesome. I wanna ride that Charizard one of these days. It looks like so much fun.

Ash had his usual attire on, but Dawn did look a bit more relaxed than what she normally wears. No mini skirt and pink boots to be found. She still had her white beanie though, probably to protect her hair from the wind. I admit, her blue hair does look really pretty though. Did I ever mention that her and Ash look adorable together?! Seriously!

"Sorry we're late," Ash said.

"Don't worry about it," Mike said. "As long as you two made it, then that's all I care about."

"See Ash?" Dawn asked Ash. "There was no need to worry."

"That's when I worry the most," Ash said.

I couldn't help but laugh. Seems Ash had to deal with that all the time when he and Dawn were travelling together. It's still cute though, nonetheless.

"So, how have you been Ian?" Dawn asked me. "I know we didn't talk much when we last saw each other."

"Been doing alright, if I say so myself," I responded. "You and Ash doing good as well?"

"Yeah, we sure have!" Ash said. "Why didn't you tell us that you were going for a Gym Battle last time? We could've come!"

"I didn't know if you guys were busy or not!" I said.

"There's no need to be shy Ian," Dawn said. "Just ask. That's all you have to do. Just ask Ash, he would've been there to watch you in a heartbeat."

"You're not wrong," Ash said. "If there's a Pokémon battle near, then you'll bet I'll be there."

"Exactly my point," Dawn said.

"This is probably really obvious, but you gonna watch as well?" I asked.

"Of course!" Dawn responded. "Ash has helped me become a good battler back when I was a new Trainer after all. He's helped me a lot actually. And I do agree with him in that Pokémon battles are pretty exciting to watch as well."

"Lup!" Dawn's Piplup said.

"Aww, that your Piplup?" I asked.

"Yep!" Dawn responded. "Piplup's been my partner since day one! Say 'hi' Piplup!"

"Piplup!" The little penguin Pokémon said.

"You're so cute," I said as I was petting its head. "I don't think I even met your Piplup when we first met each other."

"Yeah, you might be right," Dawn said.

"Ian, sorry to interrupt, but don't you wanna get going now?" Bryce asked me. "We got all day to chat on the beach."

"Oh yeah, sorry UB," I said. "To be continued?" I then asked Dawn.

"Yep," Dawn responded.

"Oh wait, whose car are you gonna go in?" I then asked.

"I think I'll go with Mike," Ash said. "Dawn, wanna come along?"

"No, thanks," Dawn responded. "I'll actually go with Ian so that I can get to know his friends. That okay with you?"

"Fine by me," I said. "That alright with you two?"

"Yep!" Jill responded.

"I'm cool with it," Elio said.

"All right!" Ash said.

Everyone got in their cars, and we made our way down to Westbrook. It was about a thirty minute drive from my house, which was what I expected. Once we got to the beach, I realized at just how small the place was. Sunyshore Beach was pretty large, so this is tiny by comparison. I kinda like that actually.

"Tiny place," I said as I got out of my van. "Smaller than I expected."

"I'm sure the large beach of Sunyshore spoiled you, didn't it?" Beth asked.

"You said it, not me," I said.

"Oh that's right, you're from Sinnoh as well?" Dawn asked me.

"Indeed I am," I responded. "You also?"

"Yep!" Dawn responded. "Where exactly were you from?"

"Sunyshore City," I said. "How about you?"

"I came from Twinleaf Town," Dawn responded.

"Oh that's nice," I said. "The quieter part of Sinnoh then. Got it."

Dawn and I continued to chat as we were making our way onto the sand, which felt a bit rougher than what I'm used to. But it's not too bad. Smaller beach, smaller crowds. Or so I think that's how it works. I'm no travel expert. If anything, I'm most likely wrong.

We agreed that we'll relax for about two hours before we go for my Gym Battle, but we wanted to let the Gym Leader know ahead of time. Thanks to Mike and Katie, we were able to find the Leader with no worries.

"Erin!" Mike shouted as we were approaching the Gym Leader.

"Huh?" The banana blonde-haired girl said to herself as she turned around. "Oh, Mike! Katie! It's been too long!"

"Sure has," Mike said. "It has been awhile. Doing well?"

"Yeah, sure have," Erin responded. "You guys doing alright?"

"Definitely," Katie responded. "Where's Logan?"

"He's guarding right now," Erin responded. "And I'm a lifeguard here as well. When there's a challenger at the Gym though, Logan usually fills in for me while I go battle. You wanna see him?"

"Yeah!" Katie said.

"He should be at the first guard stand on this side of the beach," Erin said.

"And where is that exactly?" Mike asked.

"Right near the stairs," Erin said.

"Oh I see it," Katie said. "Thanks!" She then said as she took off to go see Bryce.

"And I see you have a few new friends with you," Erin pointed out.

"Yeah, you got that right," Mike said. "I don't think you've met my family before, am I wrong?"

"No," Erin said. "I never did, even when we saw each other at Holiday Island."

"Well in that case," Mike started. "I want you to meet my mom Beth, my dad Bryce, and my cousin Ian."

"Well it's finally nice to meet all of you," Erin said. "I'm Erin, the Westbrook Gym Leader."

"It's nice to meet you as well," Beth said.

"Mike has told us about you a few times," Bryce said.

"Aww, you're too kind," Erin said as she blushed.

"Well, that's just how I am," Mike said. "Ian, why don't you introduce yourself?" I didn't wanna respond right away for some reason. Maybe I didn't wanna jump to asking her to have a Gym Battle right away? I have no idea.

"He a little shy?" Erin asked.

"I can be at times," I finally responded.

"That's ok," Erin said. "Who else do you have with you?"

"Those are my friends Jill and Elio," I said.

"Hi!" Jill said.

"Hey there!" Elio said.

"Pretty nice group you got here!" Erin complimented.

"Yep," Mike said. "I hope moving your Gym down here wasn't a major issue."

"It wasn't a problem at all," Erin said. "I love the beach! Plus, it makes a better fit down here than at an amusement park. So, what brings you guys down here?"

"Well, we're here for this guy," Mike said as he was rubbing his hand in my hair. "He wants to have a Gym Battle with you today!"

"Oh that sounds exciting!" Erin said. "But that's gonna have to wait unfortunately."

"How come?" I asked.

"Well, there have been reports of wild Pokémon attacks in this part of town, so I'm keeping an eye out for them," Erin explained. "The last thing we need is a wild Pokémon ruining the beach, and hurting others. Am I right?"

"You're not wrong," Mike said.

"Can we help?" I asked. Maybe this could be an opportunity for me to finally catch another Pokémon. But we'll see what Pokémon are in the area though.

"Ian, I would love to let you help, but I don't think that's a great idea," Erin said.

"We can help!" Jill said.

"Yeah, no problem at all," Elio added.

"Katie and I can chip in as well," Mike said. "If you don't mind that is."

"Well, you talked me into it," Erin said. "I'll let you guys help."

"Cool!" I said. "What kind of Pokémon is over here?"

"There are actually three Pokémon going about at once," Erin said.

"What are they?" Jill asked.

"There's a Zigzagoon, Wingull, and a Buizel," Erin responded.

"Erin, mind if I help as well?" Someone asked.

"That would be nice Logan," Erin responded. So that's Logan. He looks like he's either Erin's boyfriend, or her brother since they have the same hair color.

"Katie and I will go look for Zigzagoon then," Mike said.

"I'll go after Wingull," Elio said.

"Count me in as well dude," Logan added. "Better to have backup just in case."

"Then I guess it's the three of us for Buizel," I said. Even though I've heard of Buizel before, might as well see what the Pokédex has to say so I know what we're dealing with here.

" _Buizel: The Sea Weasel Pokémon. A Water Type_ ," The Pokédex read. " _The flotation sac that serves as its collar can inflate, allowing it to peak above water surfaces to see what is going on around it_." Ok, not really all that useful for the current situation.

"My kind of Pokémon Type," Erin said. "All right, let's move everyone! Only battle them if you have to. Though I'm sure you knew that already Mike and Katie. Anyway, spread out!"

Since Erin knew this part of town the best, Jill and I decided to follow along as we searched for Buizel. This would be a great Pokémon for the team since that would technically get me a Water Type after all. But we'll have to wait and see who gets to battle Buizel at all. If anything, it'll probably be Erin since she is the Gym Leader, but Jill and I can pitch in if we have to. Plus, that will help with my training a little bit if I don't end up catching it.

We were coming across a corridor a little further down the street when we heard a subtle noise coming from that corridor. I looked down the corridor, and saw a silhouette of a Pokémon. I was able to recognize what it was. Buizel.

"There it is," I said. "Just waiting for us."

"Seems so," Jill said. "So what's the plan?"

"Here's what we'll do," Erin started. "I'll approach Buizel and try to talk to it. Meanwhile, you two block Buizel's exits on the left and right sides. That way, we can corner it at the end of this corridor. Got it?"

"Got it!" Jill and I both said.

"Good," Erin said. "Then let's get going."

Jill and I got into position while Erin slowly started to approach Buizel. It looked pretty intimidated, almost like we're gonna gang up on it.

"Hey Buizel," Erin started. "We're not here to hurt you. We're just worried about you. You could be causing some significant damage to many things around town, leaving people and Pokémon at risk for injuries. There's no need to attack us at all. If you don't attack us, then we won't attack you. So, just come along nicely, and we'll be okay. Sound good?"

Buizel looks like it's under even more pressure. I think it's gonna launch an attack any minute now. "No pressure Buizel," I said. "There's no need to be scared. We're just here to bring you back where you belong."

"He's right," Jill added. "I would imagine it being tough for a Water-Type Pokémon like you living in an area like this. There's an even better area here for you to live in. We can help you get there."

Buizel didn't seem to give in though. It can't even take the pressure anymore, as its entire body was covered in water.

"Look out!" Erin shouted. "That's Aqua Jet!"

We all ducked our heads to lower ourselves from Buizel's path, but it didn't come near any of us. Seems it shot straight up as a way to get away from us.

"Where'd it go?" Jill asked.

"Obviously it got away," Erin said.

"What?" Jill asked in surprise. "How did it do that?"

"Seems it used that Aqua Jet as an escape route," I said.

"You're right Ian," Erin said. "This is gonna be harder than I thought. Let's keep searching. That Buizel could be anywhere. Did you two see where it went?"

"I didn't," I said.

"I think I heard it go that way," Jill said as she was pointing in the direction of the wall.

"Then that's where we should go," Erin said.

We jogged in the direction that Jill told us, and there was no sign of Buizel to be found. We then made our way back to the entrance to the beach, and there was nothing there either. Even Erin was stumped as to what else we could do next to find Buizel. So we made our way back to the snack bar at the beach to get some shade while we discussed a possible plan.

"Where else can we go?" Jill asked. "We basically searched the entire neighborhood."

"I think we might have to check downtown if we have to," Erin said. "If Buizel's not in this area, then we might have to look elsewhere. That could be our only chance at this point."

I was silent for the most part. I was worried for Buizel. It could get itself hurt out there. I wasn't all that frustrated, even though we're having so much trouble trying to find it.

"You have any ideas Ian?" Erin asked me.

I flinched a bit then quickly looked at Erin. "W-What was that?" I stuttered.

"Were you spacing out again?" Jill asked.

"Maybe, but I was trying to think of an idea for finding Buizel," I said.

"What're you thinking?" Erin asked.

"How about we get our Pokémon to help?" I suggested. "We can cover more ground that way."

"That might not be a bad idea," Erin said. "Got any Flying Types with you?"

"Sure do," I said.

"How about you Jill?" Erin asked.

"Sadly, I don't," Jill said.

"Ok," Erin said. "As long as we have at least one Flying Type, we can have an easier time searching. You two have any other Pokémon that can help? Like, anything super effective on Water Types?"

"I've got my Bayleef and Blitzle," Jill said.

"While I've got Shinx," I said.

"Great," Erin said. "Then call them out so they can help as well if needed. You two should avoid getting into a battle with Buizel, 'cause I think it feels threatened."

"Got it," Jill and I said together.

Jill and I called out our Pokémon to help searching, and we hit the road once again. Just in case, we went back to the same areas we went to initially to see if Buizel had returned. As we expected, it wasn't here at all. So we were ready to head into downtown Westbrook.

"Wait a sec," Jill said.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I think I found something," Jill said.

"What did you find?" Erin asked.

"Look here," Jill said as she was pointing at a wet spot in the pavement. "See how that's all localized?"

"And it looks really recent as well," Erin said.

"Could it be from Buizel's Aqua Jet?" I asked.

"Very well could be," Erin said. "Let's try to find that trail, and follow it to wherever it leads."

"Staravia, you got that?" I asked Staravia.

The bird Pokémon nodded at me, and flew off my shoulder to find the same thing. Looks like it was able to find it with no problem, and signalled us to follow it.

We had been following the water trail for a little while now. It had lead to the edge of downtown Westbrook, but not once did it go into the street. Then we came across a turnaround, and it lead right back to the beach again.

"Man, are we going in circles or something?!" I asked.

"There's still more to it," Erin said. "Looks like it was headed for the marina."

"There's a marina near here?" I asked.

"Yeah, there is," Erin responded.

But it seems it didn't go to the marina, as it went slightly passed the entrance. There were some people watching over the entrance to the other area, and Erin had to explain the situation. Thankfully, they were able to let us through to go look. Turns out, there was another beach, but this one didn't seem to be open to the public. But the trail did lead onto the sand, so we had to make our way there. When we reached the end of the trail, we found Buizel.

"There you are," Erin said.

"How come you took off from us like that?" Jill asked.

"There's no way we would intentionally harm you in anyway," I said. "We just wanted to make sure you were safe."

"Bui!" The sea weasel firmly responded. Then it turned to the water and shot a powerful Water Gun into the water.

"Could it be doing some self training?" Jill asked.

"Could be," Erin said. "And it thinks we're disrupting its training, so it took off to anywhere else it can find."

Buizel quickly stopped its Water Gun and turned to us. Seems our assumptions were right. That's what we're thinking at least.

"I think you nailed it," I said as I sweatdropped.

"Don't worry Ian," Erin said. "I can handle it. I'm with Water-Type Pokémon all day long, so I know what they're like. So just leave the rest to me."

"Ok," I simply said. So Erin specializes in the Water Type? This is good to know. That being said though, I really have one Pokémon that is super effective on Erin's Pokémon. So I'm gonna have to think of some strategies when I go for my battle with her.

Buizel was simply staring at Erin, while Erin was staring at Buizel. Erin didn't call out any of her Pokémon yet. She is really resisting to battle with Buizel. Seems she understands that Buizel wasn't meaning to do anything that it has done, and it was simply looking for a training spot. At least, that's what I'm thinking. Then again, why would a wild Pokémon want to train near a marina? Beats me.

"Please don't try to take off again Buizel," Erin said as she slowly approached Buizel. "We're only here to help you. Do you wanna get stronger? Is that why you've been doing what you're doing?"

Buizel couldn't get a response out. Erin nailed it even further. She really knows how to get to these Pokémon. I'm impressed.

"Then why didn't you say so?" Erin asked. "You could've told us that right from the get-go. Then we could've helped you find a good training spot. Along with the rest of your friends."

Seems Buizel was a bit stunned. I'm thinking it knows the Zigzagoon and Wingull that were also running about. Maybe we can resolve this by bringing all three together. Or something like that.

"You're worried about them, aren't you?" Erin asked Buizel. "You don't need to worry. We can get you back to them."

Buizel started to approach Erin, albeit rather slowly. Seems it finally opened up to her, and is willing to go with us.

"That's it," Erin said. "Just come along. We won't hurt you. Promise."

Buizel then stopped to stare at me, and had a grin on its face. Then it ran to me, and was trying to tell me something.

"What's it saying?" Jill asked.

Since Buizel can tell that we don't understand Pokémon language, it was jabbing its arms after it pointed at me. I think I'm getting what it's trying to tell me.

"Seems Buizel would like to have a battle with you Ian," Erin told me.

"Why me?" I asked. "You were the one doing all the work. I was just there in case you needed help. Plus, you're the Gym Leader, and I'm just an ordinary Trainer."

"I know," Erin said. "But I think Buizel sees potential in you, and wants to be your opponent."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Go for it!" Jill said. "I'm sure Buizel would love to go along with you! You can help it get stronger that way!"

"She's right," Erin said. "I think you and Buizel can make a good team together."

"All right then," I said. "So, you wanna battle Buizel?"

"Bui!" The sea weasel firmly responded.

"Well Shinx, whaddya say we get ourselves a new friend?" I asked Shinx.

Shinx responded with the same amount of determination, and we were ready to have our battle. Something that I'm noticing for the first time is Buizel's physical Attack stat being lowered already, even though the battle has just begun.

"Wait, why does that keep happening all the time?" I asked myself.

"That's probably because Shinx has Intimidate for its Ability," Jill said. "Don't tell me…"

"Is it bad that I'm just realizing that now?" I asked.

"Maybe," Jill responded.

I gave her a slight death stare before turning back to the battle. This is my chance to finally catch Buizel. Plus it can help with Shinx's training as well. So it's a win-win basically. Hopefully.

"All right Shinx, let's start off with Charge," I said.

Other than Aqua Jet and Water Gyn, I've got no idea what other moves Buizel could have, so I might as well start off by doing a bit of a set up. That being said though, this Special Defense buff is not gonna help with Aqua Jet, which is physical.

On the other hand, Buizel went straight for Water Gun, even though Shinx had just raised its Special Defense after using Charge. Even with the Same-Type Attack Bonus, I doubt that Water Gun will do a lot to Shinx. It's really not that strong of a move. Good for me while battling against Buizel, but it's gonna be bad once I catch it. Also, how was Shinx able to use its move before Buizel? I'm pretty freaking sure that Buizel is faster than Shinx. By, like, a lot.

"So it went for Water Gun right away?" I asked myself. "Weird. All right Shinx, use Spark!"

Thanks to the boost from Charge, Spark did quite a lot of damage to Buizel. That's also thanks to the fact that Spark is super effective on Buizel. Any questions, thoughts, concerns, idea, joys, or hatreds? Easy! Moving on.

But Buizel still didn't go before Shinx. I'm starting to wonder if it has a plan to get back at us or something like that. That has me slightly worried. If I have to, I can go to Staravia to finish it up, but I know Monferno can't handle it since it's weak to Water Types. As I was thinking about that, Buizel used its next move, which was shot straight from its tail in the form of Swift.

"Shinx, use Leer," I said.

Shinx was just about to use its next move before Buizel moved it and struck it with Aqua Jet. Now we're starting to see its speed being shown. Then again, Aqua Jet is a priority move, so that doesn't really matter. Or does it? Who knows.

After gaining ahold of itself after being hit with Aqua Jet, Shinx managed to pull off the Leer, lowering Buizel's physical Defense.

"That's more like it," I said. "Now Shinx, use Tackle!"

Before Shinx could strike Buizel, it was hit by another priority move, this time being Quick Attack. This Buizel has an interesting move set to say the least. Two priority moves? I personally would've stuck with Aqua Jet since it gets Same-Type Attack Bonus from it. I don't get it.

Regardless, Shinx was able to move in and hit Buizel. Or should I say bite it with its sharper fangs? I didn't say to bite it. Or did it just learn how to use Bite?

"Hold up!" I said. "Was that Bite just now?!"

"Yep, that sure was!" Jill said in excitement.

"Good job on picking that up quickly," Erin said. "I was wondering if you were able to know if it was Bite or an actual bite."

"Thanks," I said. "Well Shinx, we got a new move to play with! Use Bite once again!"

Seems Shinx was able to move first time surprisingly. Or so I thought. Buizel didn't go for either Aqua Jet or Quick Attack, but for Water Gun again. So it really is faster, just as I thought. However, I think it was waiting for Shinx to do a few moves first before it really gets involved. Or something like that. I have no idea.

"Seems the two are in a speed tie," I heard from Erin. A speed tie? Even in this state, Buizel is still pretty fast, so I don't understand how Shinx and Buizel could be in a speed tie. It just doesn't make sense.

"Now Shinx, use Spark," I said. I didn't wanna go for Charge again since I didn't wanna do too much damage to Buizel so that I can catch it. I'm sure this hit will do the trick. Hopefully. Let's not jump to conclusions just yet.

Spark still did quite a lot of damage to Buizel, even without the boost from Charge. That also wasn't even a critical hit. Seems we're gonna be able to start catching it real soon. I know I keep saying that, but I'm starting to get excited, so I tend to think say a lot of these things to myself as the situation develops. Hopefully you know what I'm talking about.

Buizel just stood there for a moment, then went for Swift shortly after. Kinda weird that this Buizel has two special attacks even though it's more of a physical attacker. Aqua Jet and Quick Attack can only get it so far. I can definitely help it learn a different move for Quick Attack, 'cause Aqua Jet is great for pretty much any Water Type really.

"You doing okay Shinx?" I asked my Pokémon.

The gold and black lynx was doing pretty well (Yes, I did find out on my own, in between chapters, that Shinx is a lynx Pokémon, which is a member of the cat family). That one buff from Charge is really working out well. Better than I thought. That's weird. How come we're having such an easy time with Buizel than some of the other Pokémon that we have been battling recently? Granted we are battling something that is weak to us, and is a wild Pokémon, but still.

"I think now is a good time to try," I said to myself.

"Good idea," Jill said.

"Good luck," Erin said.

"Thanks," I said to both of them. "Then here we go. Go Poké Ball!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball at Buizel.

The Poké Ball bounced on Buizel's head before putting it in. Then it fell to the ground before it started to shake. It shook three times before clicking and stopping, catching the weasel Pokémon.

"Wooh!" I shouted. "Got Em!"

"Good job!" Erin said.

"That was awesome Ian!" Jill said.

"Thanks you two," I responded. "You did great as well Shinx."

Shinx was so happy to hear that. It leaped into my arms and started purring! Man, when it comes to cuteness, Shinx and Sunsil really know how to do it well. I'm sure both of them would be enough to kill me from their cuteness overload.

"So why don't you call out Buizel to introduce yourself?" Erin suggested.

"I was just about to do that," I said. "Come on out Buizel!" I then said as I was calling out my new team member.

Buizel still had that determined look on its face, probably knowing that it chose the right Trainer or something. "Buizel, I already know that both of us will become much stronger than we already are," I said to my new Pokémon. "I can promise you that. Whaddya say?" I then asked as I reached my hand out for a high five from Buizel.

But Buizel didn't high five me at all. It didn't even try to touch my hand. Wonder what's wrong with it. I know we just battled each other, but I doubt it's being a sore loser.

"What's wrong Buizel?" Jill asked. "Are you tired from that battle? Or do you not like Ian already?"

"I think Buizel needs some time to get used to you," Erin said. "You two did just meet after all, so it's not gonna be an instant friendship like you get with other Pokémon. So I don't think you need to be concerned right now. I'm sure it'll work out in the end."

"Yeah, you're right," I said. "So maybe you should rest for the time being," I then said as I put Buizel back in its Poké Ball. "What's next then?"

"I think we should head back to the beach and see if everyone else has returned," Erin said.

"Cool," Jill and I both said. Then we made our way back to the beach. Everyone else had already returned when we got there. Seems we were the last bunch to get back to the beach. At least it's over with now, so I'm not complaining at all.

"How was Buizel?" Logan asked.

"It was being a little tough to track down, but we eventually got to it," Erin explained. "It even challenged Ian to a battle. Then he decided to catch it."

"Nice!" Mike said. "Good going buddy!"

"Thanks," I said.

"So Ian, about that Gym Battle," Erin told me. "Wanna go soon?"

"Sure!" I said. "Whenever you're ready."

"That's totally fine!" Erin said. I think her stomach grumbled, as she quickly looked down at it and blushed as she was laughing nervously. "After I get something to eat that is. You cool with that?"

"No problem at all," I said. "The last thing we need is someone to be battling on an empty stomach."

"Exactly," Erin said. "Hey, how about you guys come see the snack bar anyway? They got some pretty good stuff."

"Sure!" Jill and I said.

"Saw that one coming," Mike said.

"He is definitely your cousin," Katie added.

"For sure," Mike said. "Runs in the family. Elio, you gonna come, too?"

"Sure," Elio said. "I am pretty interested as well."

"Then just follow me then!" Erin said.

The snack bar was only a short walk away, as it sat in between both sides of the beach. The seating area was even under shade, which was very helpful since I get sunburned pretty easily if I don't use sunscreen. The menu did look promising, so I might get something to eat over here after the battle.

After Erin showed us the snack bar, she went to go order something to eat. While she was doing that, I asked her where I should go to heal my Pokémon, and she showed me where to go. It happened to be on the other side of the building, as there was a Pokémon Center right there. How convenient. Now all we have to do is to wait until we go battle. This is getting pretty excited. I can't wait!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Once Erin got her food, we chatted with her and Logan as they were eating. During our conversation, Erin said to Jill and I that her Gym was originally at an amusement park in Middlebury. Last year, her Gym was moved to here, while Logan felt like he didn't wanna be a "Head Coach" anymore, or the Trainer that ran a Showdown. That being said, he didn't wanna stop being a Trainer even though he's not gonna be a Trial Captain. Can't blame him for that.

After Erin ate her food, we made our way to the Gym, which shared the same building as the snack bar. That would explain why this building is so massive in the first place. Now I'm just rambling at this point.

"So Ian, you sure you got all of your preparations done?" Erin asked me.

"Definitely," I responded.

A moment later, and we made our way into the Gym. Half of the battlefield was basically a pool with small "islands" spread throughout the water, but the other half was normal. Talk about a weirdly-designed battlefield if I say so myself. I get that Erin uses Water-Type Pokémon, but not once would I expect the battlefield to be like this.

"Oh wow," Katie said. "This is my first time seeing the redesigned battlefield. Came out great!"

"Thanks Katie," Erin said. "I feel like the battlefield also needed a change when we moved the Gym."

"Wait, how was the battlefield designed before the move?" I asked.

"Basically take my side of the battlefield, and make it the entire battlefield," Erin told me. "Many said it was too much like the Cerulean Gym in Kanto, and battles were unbalanced as well, so I wanted to have it redesigned when the new Gym opened here."

"Ah. I see," I said.

"Wait, Erin, who are those people in the bleachers?" Logan asked as he walked in.

"Oh?" Erin said to herself as she turned to the direction that Logan pointed in. "Oh, those are some of Mike's friends up there."

I looked up as well to see if I knew them, and I didn't know if I should be mad or surprised. Sara, Hannah, and Edwin were sitting up there. "I thought you guys couldn't make it!" I said to them.

"That's what we thought as well," Sara said.

"Our parents knew that we were determined to come watch you and Jill, so they let us come down," Hannah said.

"So, here we are," Edwin added.

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it," Sara said. "At least we were able to make it to watch your battle."

"That is true," I said. "I'm just glad that you guys did make it after all."

"Same," Hannah said. "I would've felt so bad if we weren't able to make it."

"Our parents are still being a bit too much even though we're graduated for some reason," Sara added.

"While my parents are just all 'Just don't be out too late or do anything stupid,'" Edwin said.

"Yikes," I simply said. "And I thought my parents were tough on me a lot. Seems you guys have it worse."

"Yea," Sara said. "Good luck on your battle though!"

"Get them good!" Hannah said.

"Just don't go overboard on the coolness," Edwin said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked after I chuckled.

"Don't worry about it," Sara said. "You just worry about your battle."

"Got it," I said. "Meanwhile, how about the rest of you go give them some company?"

The group agreed, and made their way to the trio already in the bleachers. Once they took their seats, I made my way to my position on the battlefield. I'm pretty excited. It has been a little while since I've had an intense Pokémon battle that didn't involve saving the world.

"Ian, I hope you got something good for us," Erin said. "'Cause Mike gave me an exciting battle when he challenged me. I'm hoping for the same from you!"

"You can count on it!" I responded. "I expect nothing less than an exciting battle!"

"That's what I like to hear!" Erin said. "Man, I haven't been this enthusiastic for a Gym Battle in a long time! I hope you'll live up to the hype!"

"Erin, you're just repeating yourself," Logan said from the Referee's spot. "But you do make a fair point regardless. I definitely haven't seen you this excited about a Gym Battle in quite some time."

"Excuse me, but who's the Gym Leader here, and who's the Referee here?" Erin asked in sarcasm.

"Oof," I said. "That burned. You need a Burn Heal for that Logan?"

"Don't worry about me dude," Logan said. "She's my younger sister, so I'm used to it by this point."

"Hey!" Erin yelled. "I heard that!"

"You were supposed to," Logan said. I was having a pretty hard time holding in my laughter. I never had a sibling growing up, so I never had to argue with a family member that is not my cousin, parent, or grandparent.

"Just shut up and get this battle going, will you?!" Erin demanded as she was blushing. That was a very weird time for her to blush. This is her brother that she's arguing with, not someone she likes. Maybe she was blushing because Logan was embarrassing her in front of a bunch of people. I am thinking way too deep into this, so I should stop rambling to myself so you can read what happens next. And there I go with another fourth wall break! Good going Ian! Insert obvious sarcasm…

"If you say so," Logan said after he had laughed. "So, without further delay, the Gym Battle between the challenger Ian and Gym Leader Erin will begin! Both Trainers can use up to three Pokémon, but when all three Pokémon from either Trainer are unable to battle, that will mark the end. To make sure everyone's on the same page, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokémon. Trainers, if you can, bring out your Pokémon!"

"Corsola, how about we get this thing started now," Erin said as she threw her Poké Ball. What came out was what I would like to describe as basically a living coral reef Pokémon. Though to be fair, it did look pretty cute.

"Hmm," I thought to myself. "Do I go the expected route, or do something a bit unexpected?" Before I made my move, I pulled out my Pokédex to see what Corsola's type was. It was not only a Water Type, but it was also part Rock Type. So, theoretically, I could use Monferno since it is part Fighting, but I would only have one Fighting-Type move, which is Mach Punch. Also, I forgot to mention that Monferno learned that and forgot Scratch when I was battling Corona. "Let's see… I think I got it. Monferno, let's get started!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball.

The fire monkey that I've had since day one has come out, ready for battle. I'll admit, using a Fire-Type Pokémon in a Water-Type Gym Battle isn't the smartest idea, but Buizel would not be a good decision either. That being said, I do also get a Type advantage thanks to Monferno being part Fighting, as I mentioned earlier. However, Buizel's Water-Type moves would be regular effective on Corsola, but it would not be very useful going forward. That's basically the big reason why I chose to go with Monferno over Buizel, as it would still do some decent damage to the most of Erin's Pokémon, and it's got two moves that are super effective on Corsola. Though I would imagine Corsola would wanna stay on the pool side of the battlefield.

I looked over to everyone in the bleachers for a quick second, and I faintly saw Mike raising an eyebrow. That's kinda surprising considering that he's the Champion. You would think that he would be used to seeing crazy strategies all the time. Who knows.

"If you are ready Trainers, then you may let the battle begin!" Logan shouted.

"Monferno, start off with Mach Punch!" I commanded, getting the first move.

Even though Corsola was in the water, Monferno was able to move around pretty quickly and hit it, basically dunking it under the water. Though to be fair, it was kinda pointless for Monferno to dunk Corsola since Water-Type Pokémon can breathe underwater. That being said, it did do some pretty decent damage to Corsola.

"Not a bad start Ian," Erin complimented. "Now it's our turn! 'Kay Corsola, use Bubblebeam!"

As soon as Corsola got above the water, it shot out, and fired a jet of bubbles at Monferno. That seemed to do quite a lot of damage since it is super effective as well. You would think that water bubbles wouldn't do a ton of damage at all, but that makes you believe otherwise.

I kinda want Monferno to hit it with Dig, but the problem is if we use that, then Monferno could end up in the pool, making it vulnerable to being attacked by Corsola. So we gotta find a way to get Corsola onto the "dry" side of the battlefield, if that makes sense. I hope it does.

"Wait," I said to myself. "I think I got it. Monferno, give it another Mach Punch, but make sure you hit it dead center in the back."

Monferno was a bit confused at first, but quickly understood what was going on. You can tell that it also wants to use Dig at some point during the battle. Plus, Corsola can be an easier target while it's out of the water. So, it can basically be a win-win situation.

The only difficult part of this strategy was timing, as Corsola could easily go underwater, avoiding all of our attacks. So we gotta wait for Corsola to basically be in the air in order for this strategy to work. It's tricky for sure, but I'm sure it'll work. We've been unfairly lucky with some of our strategies after all.

"You're not going to attack?" Erin asked. "Then we shall go then! Corsola, Ancient Power!"

Corsola launched itself out of the water, and summoned a bunch of rocks to launch at Monferno. This is the moment to get our strategy moving.

"That's it!" I said. "Get it before it gets back in the water! Mach Punch!"

As soon as Corsola launched its Ancient Power, Monferno booked it to jump and punch Corsola from behind. Part one worked. Now for part two.

"After it!" I then said.

"Quick Corsola, Spike Cannon!" Erin commanded.

"Dodge, and use Dig!" I said.

It was super close. Corsola moved pretty quickly to fire its Spike Cannon but Monferno got under the battlefield just in the nick of time. Sadly, we don't have the entire battlefield to sneak up on our opponent, but we do have enough space for our plan.

"Shoot, I had a feeling he was going to do that," Erin said to herself. "Corsola, use Harden."

Since Corsola couldn't do anything to Monferno while it was beneath the battlefield, Erin felt it was the best idea to set up while they waited for us to attack. That's my assumption at least. But that's bad for us, since Harden does raise Corsola's physical Defense, even if we're doing super effective damage.

No backing down though. We still have to hit it hard, and maybe hope for a critical hit at this point if Corsola is gonna be raising its Defense. As well as keeping it away from the water so that it can be a bit closer, at least in theory.

As Corsola was using Harden, Monferno finally emerged from the ground and struck it hard. Sadly, because Corsola used Harden, it didn't do as much damage as we could've dealt, even though Dig is technically stronger than Mach Punch. On top of that, we didn't land a critical hit either. This gonna be a long battle if Corsola keeps using Harden. If only we had a Pokémon that can use Leer. Wait, Shinx does! That could be a good idea now that I think about it. But Erin will just keep calling for Harden whenever I use Leer. So there's really nothing I can do to deal with Harden.

Now comes what should I do next: Should I get repetitive by going back and forth with Mach Punch and Dig, or should I have Monferno use its Fire-Type attacks even though they're clearly not very effective? I can try to burn Corsola with both moves, but that chance is pretty slim, and I don't wanna press my luck with that. I think I will have to branch out and use our other moves, even though they won't really do us any good.

"Monferno, use Ember," I said.

Even Monferno was fully aware that our pattern can become predictable if we keep using two moves. Weird. We hadn't known each other for very long, and yet we're able to know how each of us are feeling or something. It's very difficult to describe, but it's almost like we're in sync in a way or something. I have no idea. Regardless though, Monferno quickly shot Ember before Corsola could get back into the pool.

"I have to admit Ian, having Monferno force Corsola out of the pool with Mach Punch was clever," Erin complimented. "I would only imagine how that Water-Type weakness does not feel as painful as it could've been because of that strategy."

"It is a big sigh of relief for sure," I responded. "And it keeps the matchup pretty close in my opinion."

"I totally agree," Erin said. "If there's one thing I hate is a one-sided fight. And you're proving that right now. Now Corsola, use Ancient Power!"

Corsola launched itself into the air again, and shot Ancient Power at Monferno. That did a considerable amount of damage, even though that didn't seem to be a critical hit. I have heard that Ancient Power can also raise every stat of a Pokémon, so at least Corsola didn't get that boost either.

"You okay Monferno?" I asked my partner.

Monferno did seem pretty shaken up by that hit, but it was doing fine. Something's telling me that we're gonna be in for something tougher in this fight, and I think I should save Monferno as a last resort. No pun intended.

"I got an idea," I said. "Why don't you rest for now? I might need you for later."

The fire monkey seemed to like that idea. So I put it back in its Poké Ball, and called out Shinx next. That did get off the Intimidate, which might actually matter during this battle, but we'll have to wait and see.

"Aww, you found a Shiny Shinx!" Erin said. "That's so cute!"

Shinx blushed at Erin's comment in probably the cutest way possible. And it was wagging its tail in excitement. Ack! That was so adorable!

"Well, it seems Shinx really loved your compliment," I said.

"I mean, can you really blame me?" Erin asked.

"No I cannot," I said. "Shinx really can be adorable when it wants to."

"I agree," Erin said. "Mind if I pet it after the battle?"

"Sure!" I responded. "In the meantime, Shinx, use Charge!"

We might as well get off to a strategic start even though we now have the Type advantage. From what we've seen so far, Corsola has mostly special attacks, so raising our Special Defense would probably be the best thing we can do. Plus that can help boost Spark so it can deal a bit more damage. As cute as Corsola is, I feel like this battle needs some more momentum.

"Now Shinx, use Spark!" I said.

With the boost from Charge, Shinx was able to land the more powerful Spark. Thankfully, even without the boost, it was still doing more damage than what Monferno was doing with Mach Punch and Dig.

"Corsola, use Spike Cannon!" Erin commanded.

The reef Pokémon jumped up to fire Spike Cannon a few times at Shinx. While it did to a decent amount of damage, it didn't hit nearly as many times as I thought it would after how many times it hit Monferno. Though, to be fair, Corsola really isn't hitting all that much in the first place; It's really meant to be more of a wall than anything else, if that makes sense.

"Now Shinx, use Bite!" I said.

Shinx leaped at Corsola before Corsola could even try to move, and bit it pretty hard. Seems Corsola couldn't move at all from that hit. Seems that's what a Pokémon would be like when they flinch from an attack like that. Since that has happened, that has allowed us to go again.

"Let's use Bite again," I said.

"Dodge it Corsola!" Erin commanded.

Corsola leaped into the water and went under. Since Shinx had already lept for Corsola before Erin made her command, it had also went into the water as well.

"Oh, that's not good," I said to myself. "Can you swim back Shinx?"

Shinx seemed to be struggling quite a bit. As much as I wanna switch Shinx back for Monferno right now, that would be a bad idea, and it would make me feel bad that I didn't give Shinx enough of a chance. Plus I wanna see if I can make a strategy with the water. That's where Buizel would shine best though.

Because of the rules, I can't just jump into the pool to help Shinx. I can only guide it with my voice. I have to think of something fast, as Shinx is in big trouble by just being in the water.

"We got them where we want them Corsola!" Erin said. "Bubblebeam!"

Using the water to its advantage, Corsola shot Bubblebeam from underneath, launching Shinx out of the water, and toward the ceiling.

"Ack! Shinx!" I yelled.

I could only watch in horror as the force of the Bubblebeam rammed Shinx into the ceiling, and fall straight to the floor. Just goes to show what I mean of just because we have the Type advantage doesn't mean that the battle will be on our side.

"You okay Shinx?!" I asked.

Despite what I saw from the impact, Shinx seemed to be doing pretty fine. Sure that did quite a bit of damage, but not enough to slow us down thankfully.

"Phew, that's good," I said after I let out a sigh of relief. "Let's use Charge then."

Better to be a bit safer this time. Bubblebeam and Ancient Power concern me the most, so we better keep our Special Defense high until Corsola goes down.

"Well, if you're going to raise some stats, then so will we," Erin said. "Corsola, use Harden."

"Figures," I said. As much as I wanna use a Z-Move right here, we don't have the right Z-Crystal to use the Electric-Type Z-Move. Plus, it'd be way too early in the battle to use it, as I can only use it once.

"Seems both of us have become a predictable pattern," Erin said.

"You said it," I said.

"So what do you have for us now Ian?"

"The same o'le. Shinx, use Spark!"

The boosted Spark did hit a teeny bit more, but because Corsola used Harden again, it basically hit for as much as we were doing before the second Harden. Actually, I lied. That was a freaking crit, and that did enough to finish off Corsola!

"Wait, whoa!" Erin shouted in surprise.

"Corsola can no longer battle!" Logan shouted. "Shinx has won!"

"Whew, that took awhile," I said. "Awesome job Shinx!"

The gold lynx Pokémon jumped around toward me and smiled, wagging its tail. That was its first victory in awhile, so it was relieving to see that happen.

"Off to a good start Ian," Erin said. "You definitely your cousin in terms of battling."

"We're really that similar, huh?" I asked.

"I can't say for how he battles now, but when Mike challenged me, his battling style was very similar to how you're battling right now," Erin explained. "But you do have some things in there to differentiate yourself. That's certainly a good thing."

"Interesting," I said. I looked over to Mike, and saw that he was blushing a little bit. Seems he got embarrassed a bit, which I found pretty amusing.

"So, how about we say hello to my next Pokémon?" The blonde Gym Leader said. "Chinchou, it's your turn!" She then said as she threw her Poké Ball.

What came out was a rather small Pokémon with two very large antenna that reached out beyond its main body, and they happened to be glowing as it was in the water. It honestly looked pretty cute. But it does give us a different problem, as Chinchou is part Electric. And it could have a certain Ability that makes it immune to Electric-Type attacks, but I don't remember what it was off the top of my head. I'm just hoping that it doesn't have that, so I might have to experiment right away before I make a plan. That's pretty much my best approach for dealing with this Pokémon.

"Oh boy," I said to myself. "This could mean trouble. Shinx, we need to find out what Ability Chinchou has so we know what we're dealing with. Use Spark."

This will be the deciding factor of whether it's smart for me to keep Shinx in or not. That being said, doing what I'm doing puts whatever I'm gonna be sending out next at risk. The Ability that I'm thinking of either restores health or boosts Electric-Type attacks, but I can't remember which is actually right. I know the local Gym Leader back in Sunyshore City had a Pokémon with that Ability, but it's been a long time since I've seen him battle, so my memory on that is pretty blank.

As Shinx was getting closer and closer to Chinchou, the electric energy that surrounded Shinx while it was using Spark was absorbed into Chinchou. I knew it. It does have that Ability.

"Ack. Just as I thought it would," I said.

"You were right about Chinchou having Volt Absorb," Erin said. "But I wanted you to see for yourself. It makes dealing with Electric-Type opponents much easier for me."

"I can see why," I said.

"Now Chinchou, use Charge Beam!" Erin commanded.

"Dodge it Shinx!" I said before Chinchou shot its attack.

Shinx side flipped to avoid the Charge Beam, even though it wouldn't do much. Don't know why Erin would have Chinchou use that against Shinx. Wait, Charge Beam has a chance of raising Special Attack. That gives me yet another thing to worry about. "All right then Shinx, you're gonna have to take a break for now," I said. "I might need you for later as well."

The gold lynx Pokémon turned to me and agreed. It ran closer to me as I was getting out my Poké Ball, and lept into my arms for one quick hug. Then back into the Poké Ball it went.

"Now, how to deal with this thing," I said to myself. I'm planning to use Staravia during this battle at some point, but this would be a terrible time to use it since it would be weak to Chinchou. My only real option at this point is to use Monferno. Though we only have one move that does super effective damage on Chinchou, and that's Dig. To be fair, Chinchou isn't known for having the best defenses, so hopefully we can get it over and done with quickly, but I'm not holding my breath about that.

"Monferno, time to come on back out!" I said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my partner again.

"Going with Monferno again?" Erin asked.

"Bit of a spoiler, but Shinx is the only Pokémon that is not weak to Chinchou, and it really can't do much damage to it thanks to Volt Absorb," I responded. "Plus, Monferno is my only Pokémon that can do super effective damage on Chinchou. It's a bit complicated for my taste."

"Well, not every battle can be in your favor," Erin said. "And you may not like the conditions of the situation. You have to learn how to adapt to the situation, and strategize that way."

"Noted," I simply said. She does have a fair point. It can be advice for basically any Pokémon Trainer. No, it could go beyond Trainers. Anyone, Trainer or not, can use this advice very well. "Monferno, use Mach Punch!"

Since Chinchou was still in the pool, Monferno had to punch Chinchou from above, and basically dunk it. As that was happening though, something weird happened to me. The second that Monferno lept into the air, I almost felt the urge to jump with it. And when it went to punch Chinchou, I basically threw a punch myself. The weirdest part about this whole thing: I didn't even know I was doing it until Monferno came back to my side and someone pointed it out to me.

"What are you doing?" Erin asked. "What's with the punching all of a sudden?"

"Hmm?" I asked. "What do you mean? Was I doing something weird?"

"Didn't you see yourself? You were about to jump when Monferno jumped, and threw a punch in the air when Monferno threw its punch. All at the exact same time."

"Really? Was I really doing that? I mean, sometimes I do wanna jump a bit when I'm excited about something, but not to that degree. And I never throw punches for no reason."

"You really didn't notice it at all?"

"Nope. Though I do remember being blank for a few seconds when Monferno was going for its attack."

"That's weird. Never have I seen a Trainer do the exact body movements with their Pokémon in unison. This is the first time for me seeing something like that."

"That is odd. I don't think I've ever seen that happen either. Let alone have it be happening to me."

"Do you feel okay though?"

"I feel just fine. Maybe a little shook, but other than that, I'm perfectly fine."

"You being a little shook is most likely a given, but at least it's good to hear and see that you're alright. You ready to continue?"

"Ready when you are."

"Great! Then Chinchou, use Supersonic!"

Chinchou created some really obnoxious soundwaves in hope of trying to confuse Monferno. But I was able to see the waves pretty clearly. Somehow.

"Dodge it!" I told my partner.

Monferno simply bolted to the side of the battlefield, and got pretty close to the water. I know, Monferno could've just went into the hole it left after using Dig much earlier, but it just wanted to try and be cool by not going in or something. I get the reason why, but I feel like it would've been safer just to hide in the hole. Then again, Chinchou could corner Monferno that way.

"Now use Flame Wheel!" I said.

We still have a chance to burn Chinchou for some even more chip damage. Plus, I didn't wanna just keep using Mach Punch, and we need Chinchou to be out of the pool in order for us to use Dig.

As to be expected, Flame Wheel didn't do a lot of damage at all, and we didn't get the burn either. This is gonna take awhile if we're having this kind of luck.

"I think we should turn down the heat," Erin said. "Chinchou, use Rain Dance!"

Within a few seconds, it was pouring in the Gym. This is getting bad really fast. At this rate, I might be forced to use Staravia since Monferno has a lowered chance of beating Chinchou. Yeah, its Flying-Type attacks are not very effective, but at least we wouldn't have to worry about a Water-Type weakness that gets boosted in the rain.

"Crap," I said. "This isn't good at all. We have to keep going though. But how?"

"Ferno!" My partner called out.

"Huh?" I asked.

Monferno had a serious look on its face, and nodded at me while giving me a thumbs up. It wanted to keep going. It trusts me to come up with another strategy to deal with this rain.

I nodded back to Monferno with a similar look on my face. "You're right," I said. "I shouldn't be worrying so much."

Before I said anything else, Monferno put the back end of its tail in its mouth, and pointed at the water.

"Wait wait wait, hold on!" I said. "You're willing to swim in the water if you put your tail in your mouth?! You're gonna run the risk of water getting in your mouth and putting out your flame! That's too risky!"

Monferno just kept on delivering the surprises, as the flame was out when it took its tail out of its mouth. But it was doing just fine. How is that?

"How's that possible?" I asked. "Can you really control the flame on your tail?"

"Turns out that Chimchar and Monferno have gasses in their stomachs that can fuel their flames, and they can extinguish them at any time," Erin explained.

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Logan is a Fire-Type user himself, and he started out with a Chimchar of his own," Erin responded. "So I got to know about some Fire-Type Pokémon thanks to him."

"I see," I said.

"Did I surprise you?"

"Yeah, you definitely did. I'll give you that one. Then again, you did basically give me an idea for a strategy."

"I'm aware of that. I just want to see how well you can handle the water while battling a _Water_ -Type."

"Oh boy. That doesn't sound very good."

"Prepare yourself Ian! Chinchou, use Supersonic!"

Despite the rain falling in the battlefield, it was actually somehow easier to see where the waves from Supersonic were. Don't ask me how I was able to tell, that was just how things are right now.

"Dodge it!" I told my partner.

Monferno had plenty of time for it to avoid the Supersonic, and came a little closer to me once the attack dissipated. The fire monkey had been doing a lot of running and attacking during this battle, and I'm starting to get worried that it's starting to get tired from all of that.

"You doing okay?" I asked Monferno.

Monferno did seem to be doing alright though despite my worries. I'm still gonna be cautious considering that it has been battling for quite a while. I can't take any chances here since I only have one Pokémon that is super effective on Water Types.

"Then get in the water," I said. "I have an idea."

My partner nodded at me and dived into the pool. I'm surprised that it was able to swim pretty well. Mind you it's not as fast as an actual Water-Type Pokémon, but for a Fire Type, this is impressive.

"What is he doing?" I overheard Erin.

"Uppercut that thing with Mach Punch!" I said as I was making an uppercut of my own at the same time as Monferno. It already knew what to do since it really can't hear me underwater. Hold on. That thing happened again.

As soon as both Pokémon got out of the water, it came to my senses that Monferno and I did the same exact body motion again. "It happened again," I said, completely aware of what happened this time.

"You noticed it, too?" Erin asked.

"Yeah," I said. "That is strange. I never done that in my last Gym Battle, so why is it happening here? I gotta look into this more; This could mean something very important that I may not know about."

"Exactly what I was going to say," Erin said. "What did you feel when that happened?"

"I really don't know how to describe it," I said. "I felt like Monferno and I were in sync somehow. It's really weird to say the least."

"'In sync' you say?" Erin said. "I've heard that happening somewhere. I'll check with your cousin after the battle."

"I'll come with you actually. If you don't mind that is."

"I don't mind at all. We'll worry about that later. Let's focus on finishing this battle first; I think we've stalled more than we'd like."

"Yeah, I agree. Monferno, use Dig!"

Monferno dug a new tunnel using the first tunnel that it dug earlier. Chinchou clearly thought that Monferno was gonna emerge from the existing tunnel, but was proven wrong just as it was about to leap back into the pool. That did keep Chinchou out of the pool for a little bit longer thanks to the angle that Monferno hit it at.

"He definitely knows the limitations of his mobility," Erin said to herself. "Now Chinchou, use Charge Beam!"

Knowing that it can't get back into the pool just yet, Erin figured to do some damage while on dry ground. Two electric beams were formed into one between its antennas, and shot it at Monferno. Since it was an Electric-Type move, it didn't do super effective damage on Monferno. Though one thing we have to be careful about with this move is that it has a chance of raising the user's Special Attack. With my luck, Chinchou will most likely get that boost before we knock it out.

"Don't give up Monferno!" I said. "Use Dig again!"

Instead of reusing the same tunnel again, Monferno dug a brand new tunnel. But Chinchou was more ready for Monferno to surface this time.

"Wait for it," Erin said softly.

Now it's pretty obvious that they have some sort of plan up their sleeves. That's kinda nice so that the battle doesn't get awkward most of the way, if that makes sense. You know what I'm trying to say here.

Chinchou's body started to shake ever so slightly, which means that Monferno was very close by.

"Now!" Erin said. "Launch yourself with Bubblebeam! And grab onto one of the bars on the ceiling!"

Just before the ground underneath Chinchou gave in, it shot Bubblebeam underneath itself, launching itself into the air. Once it got close to the ceiling, it used its antennas as a hook for grabbing onto the closest bar, allowing it to completely avoid Monferno's attack.

"Well crap," I said to myself. "This is gonna be tricky. Monferno, let's try and burn it with Flame Wheel."

We have to try anything at this point. With Chinchou hanging on the ceiling, we don't have a ton of options for attacking, so trying to inflict a status condition might be our best bet here. Plus, Chinchou is safe from Dig due to it being so high up, so it's basically useless. Though it seems Chinchou has slowed down quite a bit, so it might be almost done. That's definitely a good thing.

While we didn't get the burn, Monferno did land a critical hit with Flame Wheel. That did send Chinchou plummeting toward the ground. Now we can get it with Dig before it goes back in the water.

"That didn't go as smoothly as I hoped," Erin said. Just when things couldn't get worse right now for Erin, the Rain Dance finally let up. "Well that's just as great. Chinchou, set up another Rain Dance."

Possibly knowing that Chinchou is not gonna last any longer, Erin figured that she'll set up another Rain Dance to give her Pokémon a little boost. Monferno is also getting kinda tired, so it won't be a huge loss if Monferno ends up losing. Regardless, it looks like this battle is reaching its halfway point.

"Monferno, use Dig again," I said. "And let's make it quick."

Monferno heard loud and clear, and booked it to getting underneath Chinchou. That very hit finished it off already. That thing lasted a lot longer than I thought it would. I'm not complaining though; It makes the battle longer, and more exciting. Then again, that could be just me.

"Chinchou can no longer battle!" Logan shouted. "Monferno has won!"

"Well, that's two for two for you Ian," Erin said as she put Chinchou back in her Poké Ball. "Doing a good job so far."

"Thanks," I responded. "Though I doubt my luck will carry over into the end of the battle, knowing me."

"You may or may not be right," Erin said. "So, let's finish this up Wartortle!" She then said as she threw out her Poké Ball, calling out her final Pokémon.

I did recognize this Pokémon, as it was the evolved form of Squirtle. This is gonna be interesting to say the least. I feel like I've said that already. Even if I did, I'll say it again.

"Well well, it's Starter vs Starter," Erin pointed out. "I like this."

"I agree," I said. "This has been quite an eventful battle I must say."

"No kidding. Some of the battles I have with challengers can be pretty dull. This battle is definitely an exception to that."

"I can see why. Really depends on a lot of things."

"Exactly. So, you ready to finish this up?"

"Always! Monferno, use Mach Punch!"

Before Monferno got moving, the flame on its tail got even bigger than how it was before. Could it be Blaze activating? No. It couldn't be. If it was Blaze, then I would've noticed it by now. If that's the case, then what Ability does Monferno have? I gotta check my Pokédex after the battle.

Then Monferno booked it toward the turtle Pokémon, and gave it quite a punch. Wartortle slid a little bit because of the impact, but that wasn't a critical hit. That would've been insane if Monferno had got two critical hits in a row, even though the last attack wasn't a critical hit either. I think I'll just start referring critical hits as just "crits" from now on just to simplify things. So if you were checking back to this chapter after seeing me use crit during all of my battles, then there you go. I'm just rambling at this point.

"Not bad," Erin said. "Wartortle, use Scald!"

Once Wartortle regained traction and balance, it shot a jet of very hot water at Monferno, doing boosted super effective damage. Then I saw Wartortle's body glow a sky blue.

"Why is Wartortle glowing like that?" I asked.

"That's thanks to Wartortle's Hidden Ability Rain Dish," Erin explained. "As long as it's raining, Wartortle will keep regaining health as the battle goes on. Hence why I didn't make Chinchou attack Monferno before it got knocked out."

"Crap," I said. "And Wartortle's pretty bulky, too. This is going south very fast already." We're in a really bad situation right now. Monferno could very well get knocked out with just one more hit, and I don't know if Staravia can serve up any better. If Monferno gets knocked out, I don't wanna go into Shinx right away. That would be too risky. I really don't have anything to counter Wartortle with Monferno at this point as long as it's raining in the battlefield. Erin really did a good job planning for this.

"I think I finally stumped you, didn't I?" Erin asked.

"Maybe you have, maybe you haven't," I said. "Monferno, use Dig."

We'll have to try everything that we can until Monferno gets knocked out. I wanna save Shinx for last, but it had already done some battling prior, so it's not in perfect shape like Staravia is. It's gonna be very close; Much closer than my first Gym Battle. I just realized that me constantly saying that a battle is gonna be close is getting really redundant already, and we're not even a fourth of the way through this story yet. Sometimes my word choice is outta whack. Anyway, moving on.

My partner moved as fast as it could to get underneath Wartortle, as it moved onto our side of the battlefield. For some reason, it didn't move back onto the pool side, as there's basically nothing that Monferno could do over there. It's almost like it did that on purpose to take as much advantage of Rain Dish as possible before the rain stops. Plus, it's taking the hits pretty well, so it's basically stalling us at this point while dealing heavy damage.

"Monferno, try and use Ember," I said. We basically have one last shot to burn one of Erin's Pokémon, 'cause we've had no luck at all during this battle.

But even with a decent Special Attack, we still didn't get the burn on Wartortle. We basically wasted a turn at this point. I think we'll just have to cut our losses and move on, 'cause nothing is working now.

"I kinda almost feel bad," Erin said. "You've been trying so hard to burn one of my Pokémon, but luck just wasn't on your side."

"I wasn't begging for sympathy," I snapped. "I'm basically trying everything that I can at this point. I know Monferno is not gonna be able to go for much longer, so I'm trying whatever I can do."

"That shows you have dedication, Ian. Even though it might show someone being stubborn, impatient, or angry, but you've been calm about it the whole time. Plus, your two other Pokémon at your side as well, so it's not like you're gonna lose any second now."

"Maybe, but one screw up on my end could very well cost me the battle."

"Just don't worry about it, and stay focused on the battle. Even if you did actually lose, you really tried your hardest, and can know what to avoid once you come for a rematch."

"You are right about that. I think I'm just overwhelming myself over nothing."

"Exactly! Besides, it's not like you're battling to save the world right now. So just relax and have fun with it!"

"I can only try."

"That's the spirit! And that's what really counts! Wartortle, use Scald one more time!"

In hopes of going for the KO, Wartortle shot another powerful rain-boosted Scald at Monferno, knocking it out with no worries. I saw it coming given our Type disadvantage. Even Monferno saw it coming. It did what it could, and it did just that very well.

"Monferno can no longer battle!" Logan shouted. "Wartortle has won!"

Before I put the fire monkey back in its Poké Ball, I walked to it and carried it back to my area myself. "That was awesome Monferno," I said to it in a comforting tone as I was walking back. "You really carried the team through very nicely. Now take a good rest, and let's root for the rest of the team."

My partner nodded at me, and gave me a quick hug before I put it back in its Poké Ball. Even if I have two Pokémon left, that Wartortle is crazy strong. Not that I'm doubting my own Pokémon, but I'm just concerned about what she could also have in store with this thing, and I think the Type advantage with Rain Dish is only the tip of the iceberg. I just gotta try.

"Staravia, it's your turn now!" I said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out the charcoal gray bird Pokémon. Intimidate was immediately activated, so at least we don't have to worry about its physical attacks as much, but we'll still be careful.

"Oh, I'm surprised you didn't go back to Shinx," Erin said.

"I felt like changing it up a bit," I said. "Plus, I wanted all of my Pokémon to do some battling during this battle, and I feel like this was the perfect time for Staravia to come out."

"I see," Erin responded. "That's a fair point."

"Exactly what I was saying. So let's get going then. Staravia, use Wing Attack!"

Staravia bolted toward Wartortle, and struck it pretty hard with both of its wings. Not a bad start given that Wartortle has a pretty high physical Defense.

"Now Wartortle, use Withdraw," Erin commanded.

Wartortle proceeded to hide in its shell, raising its physical Defense. Well that's just lovely. Now it's gonna take even longer to take it out. It helps even less because all of Staravia's and Shinx's attacking moves are all physical attacks. And if someone gets burned from Scald, it'll only get even worse. There I go again, overthinking it. I should really talk to somebody about this.

"Oh that's not good," I said to myself. "Staravia, use Aerial Ace."

I'm so glad we have a move that is a guaranteed hit, so at least we know we can keep doing some damage with Aerial Ace if Wartortle avoids the rest. Mind you it's not much, but it'll help with progress in this battle. Man, I just keep pointing out the obvious during this battle. I should really stop that as well, 'cause I'm sure it's getting old for whoever's reading this.

"Ok Wartortle, use Dragon Pulse!" Erin commanded.

"What the?!" I said in surprise. "Dodge it! Quick!"

Just as soon as Wartortle shot its attack, Staravia evaded in and around the Dragon Pulse, narrowly missing it. That was scary. Not once would I think that a Wartortle would know a powerful move like that. That creates a whole new problem.

"Oh my Arceus this is bad," I said. "I don't think I have anything to counter that." I quickly took a deep breath and cooled myself. Overthinking it is not gonna get me anywhere. "Ok. Let's get back in there. Staravia, use Aerial Ace again!"

Staravia managed to land a crit with that Aerial Ace, and it did enough to almost send Wartortle into the water. At least we're getting somewhere with this despite what it may seem, if that makes sense.

"That was a good shot," Erin complimented. "Wartortle, use Bite!"

The turtle Pokémon lept toward Staravia, and bit it pretty hard. However, because its Attack stat was lowered thanks to Staravia's Intimidate, Bite didn't do as much as it would do, and it would do even less if Shinx has to come back out. That being said, it's not gonna help much when talking about the special attacks that Wartortle has. Speaking of which, most of Wartortle's moveset is composed of special attacks. So really Bite is the only move that is affected by Intimidate.

"You alright Staravia?" I asked my Pokémon.

The charcoal gray bird was doing okay though. I can say that because Staravia is faster than Wartortle, we don't have to worry about flinching from Bite. At least there's some more good news to come out of this battle.

"Alrighty," I said. "Then use Wing Attack."

Since Wartortle was still relatively close after using Bite, Staravia was able to strike Wartortle before it got back to the pool. I know I keep going back and forth between Wing Attack and Aerial Ace, but those are really Staravia's two strongest attacks. And because Wartortle used Withdraw once, we'll have to keep cycling back and forth between those two moves.

"How do you feel Wartortle?" Erin asked her partner. "Still going good?"

Wartortle gave its Trainer a thumbs up before looking back toward Staravia. You can just tell that this Pokémon is really having a ball during this battle, and I really can't blame it. While this battle is kinda stressful in a way, I'm glad it's going like this. It really keeps the excitement high.

"Great!" The Gym Leader said. "Then use Scald!"

"Quick Staravia, Quick Attack!" I commanded.

Now would be a good time to use a priority move. If we're gonna get any sort of lead in this battle, we're gonna have to stay one step ahead of Erin and Wartortle. That sounds really obvious, but that's the best I can think of as of now. But that Quick Attack didn't stop Wartortle though, as it still shot Scald at Staravia. Luckily, it didn't get the burn. So I really shouldn't feel bad I'm not the only one that was having a hard time trying to burn my opponent. I get that it's a low chance of getting the burn, but I've been a little too lucky with it recently. I think my luck is starting to not be in my favor now.

"Don't give up Staravia!" I yelled. "Use Wing Attack!"

After making a quick recovery from Wartortle's Scald, Staravia landed yet another Wing Attack. The damage my Pokémon is dealing right now is not that bad actually despite the Withdraw. I say that, but Erin could very well do another one any second now.

"You're doing great!" Erin said. "Use Withdraw again!"

See, what did I tell you? I basically jinx myself with these kind of scenarios. Now it's gonna be even harder to finish Wartortle, and without a doubt require both of my Pokémon to do just that.

"Shoot, I was afraid she was gonna do that again," I said. "Do I keep going, or should I switch now? But if Shinx gets knocked out, then I won't be able to stand a chance with Staravia. I'll just have to keep going until one of them goes down, and it's probably gonna be us given the moves that Wartortle has. Staravia, use Aerial Ace."

I doubt I'm actually gonna be using Tackle during this battle. Yes, Tackle and Quick Attack have the same amount of power, but Quick Attack is a priority move while Tackle is not. Maybe I should look into other moves that Staravia can learn at this moment in our journey, 'cause that could help us in the long run. Aerial Ace will definitely stay around, as that's gonna be super helpful, just like how it is right now. Even with the two times Defense boost, Wartortle still took quite a hit from Staravia. I don't even think that was a crit either.

"You still doing okay Wartortle?" Erin has her Pokémon.

Wartortle turned around and nodded at her once again before looking back at the battlefield. You can tell it's starting to get a little tired. I don't think it was expecting Staravia to last this long.

"Then use Dragon Pulse!" Erin commanded her partner.

Wartortle was jumping all over the place, trying to distract us, and giving us very little room to go to avoid the attack. Once it found a spot to fire, it shot very quickly, giving Staravia no time to dodge at all. That attack did a lot of damage, enough to send the charcoal gray bird plummeting to the ground. Staravia was struggling to get back up. This could very well be it for the bird Pokémon.

"Staravia, you alright?" I asked.

Staravia really didn't look good. It collapsed as it was trying to pull itself up. That Dragon Pulse was really strong, and something we're really gonna have to look out for with Shinx.

"Staravia can no longer battle!" Logan announced. "Wartortle has won!"

Just like what I did with Monferno, I walked to Staravia and carried back myself. It battled really hard, but had a hard time with Wartortle. "Thanks Staravia," I said to my Pokémon. "You did your best, and that's all that counts," I then said as I was putting it back in its Poké Ball. "Well that was a turn of the tides."

"Yep," Erin agreed. "Staravia fought really well though. Probably enough for Shinx to finish the job."

"I hope so," I added. "'Cause that Wartortle of yours is really powerful."

"Thanks for the compliment. So, how about we finish this up?"

"We shall do just that. Shinx, let's finish this!" I said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling the Shiny Pokémon back out. It's down to the wire now. All or nothing. I can't use a Z-Move now, so we'll have to deal without it. Once Shinx came back out, Intimidate activated again, lowering Wartortle's physical Attack once again.

"You did the right thing saving Shinx for last," Erin complimented. "Leaving Staravia to get a head start was a neat idea. Now I understand even more why you said that you wanted all of your Pokémon to get a chance to participate in this battle."

"Well, I also wanted to have Staravia come out so I can get a chance to use a Z-Move, but I was proved otherwise," I responded. "So I'm gonna have to do without it."

"Well, most Pokémon battles are not impossible without a Z-Move. I'm sure you managed to do just fine in your first Gym Battle without a Z-Move either."

"You are right about that. I just wanted to stay in shape with that."

"I understand. But those are techniques that are hard to forget, even for beginning Trainers."

"True. Anyway, Shinx, use Charge."

Raising Shinx's Special Defense back up is my top priority right now. That could be the only way that we can take more than just one hit from Wartortle's attacks, especially that Dragon Pulse. Plus, it'll let Spark do more damage despite Wartortle's boosted Defense. This is exactly why I wanted to save Shinx for last.

"Let's work our way up," Erin said. "Wartortle, use Bite."

Even with the two times lowered physical Attack, Wartortle still bit Shinx pretty good. That was a bit of a surprising call from Erin. Then again, Bite is most likely Wartortle's weakest attacking move now, so that's probably what Erin meant of "working their way up." I get it now.

"Use Charge once again," I said.

I think we'll raise Shinx's Special Defense one last time, then let them have it with a supercharged Spark. GET IT?! SuperCHARGED?! HA HA! I'll stop now.

"Still not going for a damaging move?" The blonde asked. "Ok then. Wartortle, use Scald!"

"Dodge it!" I commanded my Pokémon.

Shortly after Wartortle shot its attack, Shinx lept and rolled on the floor, almost crashing into the wall in the process.

"I thought for sure Shinx was going to crash into the wall," Erin pointed out.

"So did I," I said. "Try to be a little more careful, ok Shinx?"

The gold lynx turned to me and nodded with such a huge smile on its face. Had I been closer to it, and I would probably hear it purring. I swear, it wants to act like a puppy Pokémon sometimes. That does sound cute though.

"All right then, use Spark!" I then commanded.

Now it's finally time to deal some damage, and Shinx did so very hard thanks to the two boosts from Charge. That really did a lot considering that Wartortle had a higher Defense thanks to Withdraw.

"Nice and powerful!" The Gym Leader complimented. "Using Charge twice in a row to not only raise Shinx's Special Defense, but to also give Spark a nice boost as well was clever. That makes Withdraw an easy obstacle to clear."

"That was the plan," I said. "And I wanted to make sure Shinx can take more than just one hit. 'Cause this little guy is my last hope for this battle. Gee, isn't that obvious."

Erin giggled at my joke a little bit. "You do have a good sense of humor," She said. "Reminds me a lot of Logan."

"I heard that," Logan said.

"You were supposed to," Erin said.

I couldn't help but chuckle myself at their short conversation. "Like brother, like sister," I said.

"You said it, not me," Erin said. "Let's continue then. Wartortle, Dragon Pulse!"

By the time I was ready to tell Shinx to dodge, the Dragon Pulse was already too close for my Pokémon to get out of the way safely. However, it took the hit pretty well thanks to Charge. Maybe doing one more wouldn't hurt, but I wanna hold on that for now.

"Now Shinx, use Bite!" I said.

Even though Bite doesn't do super effective damage like Spark, it'll help with getting down Wartortle enough to do another double-Charged Spark. Hopefully at least. Also, I can pretty much forget about using Leer, as Erin will just have Wartortle use Withdraw immediately afterward. Anyway, that Bite did make Wartortle flinch actually, to my surprise.

"Oh no," Erin said.

"Ooh, got the flinch," I said. "Now what to do here? Leer is so tempting, but I don't wanna go for it. In fact, let's go the safe route. Shinx, use Charge one more time."

After this last Charge, we're going all out from here on in. This battle has been going on for quite awhile now, and I think it's time we finally end it soon. Now Shinx has a higher Special Defense than Wartortle at the moment. That is unless Wartortle uses Withdraw again.

"Oh, doing one last Charge?" Erin asked. "That's a good idea though. Gives you an extra turn to set up."

"Yep," I said. "I do have to ask though, and I'm not trying to be rude, but what's with all the compliments and breakdowns of some of my strategies?"

"Well, I am a pretty verbal person no matter what job I'm doing, and me being able to basically help my challengers learn as we're battling can really mean a lot for them. Not all Gym Leaders do that after all."

"That is a fair point. And that is very generous of you."

"Why thank you. Let's keep going then. Wartortle, use Scald!"

It's pretty clear that she's gonna be going back and forth between Scald and Dragon Pulse now since those were not affected by Intimidate. And she'll probably occasionally use Bite as well even though she can't get the flinch from it.

Unfortunately though, that Scald did land as a critical hit. Poor Shinx is starting to have a hard time now. I think we are gonna have to keep using Charge and go for the KO with Spark. However, now that I think about it, Shinx should've evolved by now. So there's a chance that Shinx could be evolving any time now at this point. But I don't wanna hold my breath about that.

"Shinx, you doing alright?" I asked the lynx Pokémon.

Shinx got up a little slower, but is still going reasonably well. Now I'm starting to wonder if Shinx is gonna be able to make it to the end of the battle, 'cause that crit really did do a lot to Shinx. I'm guessing it can only take two more hits before it's done. We gotta do something about that now if we're gonna have a chance of surviving anymore hits.

"Use Charge once again then," I said.

Charge is our best bet at this point. It'll give a third Special Defense boost for Shinx, and let Spark be more powerful as well. Something weird was going on with Shinx though as it was using Charge. It was howling quite loud for such a tiny Pokémon.

"Shinx, what's wrong?" I asked my Pokémon, trying to be as calm as I can.

"Could it be?" Erin asked.

Shinx's body then glowed a bright gold, and started to deform. I called it! It is evolving!

"O- It's evolving!" I said in excitement.

Once the glow dissipated, we got to see Shinx's evolution in the flesh. I got so excited about seeing it in person again after seeing it back in Sinnoh.

"Oh wow!" I said. "Man, Shinx Luxio looks better than I thought!" I couldn't bother taking out my Pokédex since I've met a few before, so I already have an idea of what to expect from them. "And it feels so good to see one in person again!"

"Well congrats on your newly-evolved Pokémon!" Erin said. "Timing couldn't have been better for you!"

"Definitely. And it's giving me a little deja vu, as my Staravia evolved during my first Gym Battle."

"I can see why. From what I've heard, it's pretty common for a Pokémon to want to evolve if they happen to be in some sort of trouble."

"And that was clearly shown here."

"For sure."

Even though Luxio did evolve, it still had Intimidate, as Wartortle's Attack was lowered one last time. Now we're in much better shape to finish this battle for good.

"Let's see what you got now Luxio!" I said to my newly-evolved partner. "Use Spark!"

Because Luxio had used Charge before it had evolved, Spark did a freaking ton. Like, holy crap. I don't think that was even a crit either.

"Very powerful!" Erin pointed out. "I really like that! 'Kay Wartortle, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Dodge it!" I said.

As Luxio was avoiding Wartortle's attack, a thought occurred to me. Even though I can't use a damaging Z-Move, I can still use a status Z-Move with Leer. That's it! Why didn't I think of that before?! Crap!

"Wait, Luxio, I think I have an idea," I said to my partner.

Luxio was all ears, and was ready for anything that came out of my mouth. This gold cat was just as ready to finish this battle as I am.

"It is true that we can't use an attacking Z-Move, but we can still use a status Z-Move," I said.

"Right, those kind of Z-Moves do exist as well," Erin added. "I tend to almost forget those are even a thing."

"You're not alone. I didn't even think about it until I remembered one time I was talking about Z-Moves in school not too long ago."

"Well, then put that knowledge of yours to work then, and let's see what you come up with!"

"My pleasure! Let's do it Luxio!"

The process to trigger the status Z-Move is the exact same, as I just have to do the same pose for the Type I'm using. In my case, it's Normal. The power that was emitting from the Z-Power Ring was not as strong as a damaging Z-Move, but it still had a kick to it.

"Use Z-Leer!" I commanded.

With Z-Leer, not only do the regular effects of Leer take place, but the user's Attack raises as well. So, it's really the perfect counter to Withdraw. Again, why didn't I think of this before? The world may never know.

"Now that's a clever use of your Z-Power," Erin complimented. "Very well done. Let's wrap it up then! Wartortle, use Scald!"

Wartortle did manage to get off another Scald, but thankfully Luxio wasn't burned.

"Not if we can finish it first!" I said. "Luxio, give it one more Spark!"

Yes, I'm assuming this hit will finish it again, but I'm pretty confident it will. Both Pokémon are pretty exhausted by now, and it's clear that Luxio had more energy left than Wartortle.

Just like I thought, that Spark did do enough to finish Wartortle. The impact was so powerful that it sent Wartortle flying, even skipping on the water before crashing into the wall.

"Oh no Wartortle!" Erin shouted.

"Wartortle can no longer battle!" Logan announced. "Luxio has won! That means the challenger Ian is the winner!"

"Phew," I said as I sighed out loud. "That was intense. Luxio!" I then shouted as I ran to my Pokémon, letting it jump into my arms, licking me all over my face as it starts to purr. Even after evolving, Luxio was still a Shinx on the inside, and I love it.

"Oh well," Erin said to herself. "Can't win them all."

I guess she was talking with Wartortle before she made her way to me, 'cause I was still occupied by Luxio. I don't mind at all.

"Great battle Ian," Erin said as she was approaching me. "Very well done."

"Thanks a lot Erin," I responded after finally getting up after Luxio settled down. "That really was a lot of fun, albeit pretty intense."

"Yeah, but it shows just how dedicated you are to your Pokémon. Your willingness to keep on going even when the situation is tight proves that you have constant faith in your Pokémon, no matter what the cost. Yes, that does sound a lot like your cousin. Though he did get off a little easier than you, there's no denying that both battles were close, and you were more strategic with your battling. I really liked that from you, which made this battle worth the wait in my opinion."

"Totally understandable. Any Gym Battle is something that is worth looking forward to."

"I agree. So, with all of that said. Ian, to prove your victory here at the Westbrook Gym, I would like you to accept the Teardrop Badge," Erin said as she was handing me the badge.

"That's so cool," I said as I took the badge out of her hands.

"Isn't it pretty?" Erin asked. "After my Gym was moved, I just couldn't give up on this design."

"I can see why. It is a good design. What do you think Luxio?"

The gold lynx rubbed itself on my leg with a huge smile. Then it looked at the badge, and put its paw on it. As it was getting down, it tried to take the badge out of my hand! The nerve of that one!

"Hey hey, that's not a toy silly!" I said.

"Well, if you ask me, I think Luxio likes it," Erin said after she laughed.

"You think?" I said sarcastically. After I petted Luxio on the head, I put the badge in my badge case before my Pokémon got to it again.

"And I also want you to take this," Erin then said as she was handing me something else. It looked like another Z-Crystal.

"A Z-Crystal?" I asked.

"Yeah. It's the Waterium Z. I kinda wish I got to use it during our battle, but you had me stumped as to when I could use it. Regardless, it's yours."

"Thanks Erin."

"No problem. Want me to show you the pose for the Water-Type Z-Move?"

"Sure."

"It's pretty simple actually. Watch closely though," Erin said as she was beginning her demonstration. So, from what I've seen, it's doing making waves with your arms in one direction, then finish off on the other side? It does sound and look simple.

"That looks easy," I pointed out.

"It really is," Erin responded. "And will come in handy for Buizel. I can already see it being an ace at it by the time the Pokémon League comes around."

"Whoa whoa, let's not get too far ahead of ourselves!"

"Sorry."

"Nah, it's okay. I do the same thing."

As we were chatting, everyone else gathered around us.

"That was awesome Ian!" Jill said as she tackle hugged me.

"Great work buddy," Mike said. "Proud of you. And I totally get why you kept comparing us during the battle Erin."

"Can you really blame me though?" Erin asked. "You two have so much in common!"

"Not gonna argue that," Mike said. "Some people have thought we were brothers."

"Good, so I'm not the only one. So Ian, do you know where you're going for your next Gym Battle?"

"I think I have an idea," I responded. "But it's on the tip of my tongue."

"Were you thinking of the Berlin Gym?" Erin asked me.

"Yep," I answered. "That's what I was thinking."

"You're getting better at it," Mike told me.

"Was that supposed to be a roast or a compliment?" I asked my cousin.

"I guess it's a combination of both," Mike responded.

"Grr, I'll get you later for the roast part," I said.

"I guess I can rest my case now," Erin said. "So, what're you guys gonna be doing for the rest of today?"

"Well, we were just gonna chill on the beach for awhile," Mike said. "But this guy is not the biggest fan of the beach."

"Is that so?" Erin asked. "Well, if you're looking for other stuff to do, then how about you go to Ocean Beach Park? They have a lot more to do over there, and it's not far from here; About a half an hour from here."

"We were thinking of doing that," Katie said.

"Actually, I have an idea," Mike said. "I know both Mike and Jill will like this."

"Huh?" Jill and I both asked.

Mike was such a genius. As the rest of the group relaxed on the beach, Mike let Jill and I ride on Rapidash and Snowkey respectively. We agreed to just staying in the neighborhood, which wasn't an issue at all. We can get more than one lap in that way. And we can talk a bit as we're on our stroll.

"I think this is the first time we're riding Mike's Pokémon," Jill pointed out.

"It sure is," Snowkey responded. "You two enjoying it?"

"Definitely," I answered. "I'm surprised Mike even thought of the idea in the first place."

"He's a lot more easy-going than you might think," Snowkey told me. "He trusts you two with us. Plus we know how to react in a pinch."

"That is true," I said.

"Snowkey, I hope you don't mind if I ask, but how did you and Mike even meet?" Jill asked. "From what I've heard, your species are found far up north."

"You are right about that Jill," Snowkey started. "But actually, I found Mike. It's a bit of a long story though."

"We're all ears," I said.

"All right then," Snowkey said. "To put it simply, after my parents went off on their own, I wanted to get stronger so I can defend myself in a time of need. So I went on a journey to find that perfect Trainer that could unleash my potential. I've gone through a few Trainers before I found Mike."

"A few Trainers?" Jill asked.

"Yeah," Snowkey said. "They were not what I was looking for. Most of them were very forgiving about it, and I thanked them for trying to help me. Even if it wasn't a lot, it still help me get stronger. When I found Mike, he gave off that feel that he was the one I was looking for."

"Kinda made me think of someone looking for love," Jill said.

I simply stared at her when she made that comparison.

"What?" Jill asked when she saw me staring at her. "What did I do?"

"I get where she's coming from," Snowkey said. "It's got the same effect when you think about it."

"If you say so," I said.

"Trust me when I say Mike welcomed me with open arms," Snowkey continued. "He made me feel like I was already a part of the family. And at the time that I met him, it really felt like we knew each other for a long time."

"Oh yeah, you guys met around Christmas time, right?" Jill asked.

"Exactly!" Snowkey responded. "That was when I was just a little Gallofreeze. Then I evolved into my previous stage, Frostomp, not much longer after that. Where we went for Christmas was amazing though."

"Where'd you guys go?" I asked.

"Holiday Island Resort," Snowkey answered.

"I've heard of that place!" Jill said. "That's the new resort in town, right?"

"Well, it's not so new anymore," Snowkey said. "But it was so much fun. I really didn't wanna leave when it was time to go. There's so much stuff to do there. It almost feels like it's own town."

"That sounds fun," I said. "We should go there sometime."

"I think we are with our class," Jill said.

"Really?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah," Jill answered. "The first time there was so successful that the high school wanted to keep it up as an annual trip along with the traditional Senior Trip."

"That's surprising."

"Yeah. But I'm looking forward to it. You should be too. We can do a lot of stuff there together."

"She's onto something Ian," Snowkey said.

"I hear you," I said. "And I'm sure we will."

"For sure," Jill said. "As much as I wanna do all of it with our friends, I kinda wanna do some of it with just you."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I mean just have you and I doing some things on our own," Jill explained. "Yes, I'm dating Leo, but you come really close. Meaning that I feel the most comfortable when I'm with you when I'm not with Leo, and perhaps a bit more recently."

After realizing what she said, my face started to burn up, and it became noticeable. Snowkey was trying not to laugh at the conversation. It's pretty clear that she ships us as well. Now a Pokémon ships us. Wonderful.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry!" Jill said rather quickly as she started to blush herself. "I didn't mean for it to come out the way it did!"

"No, no, it's okay!" I said. "Even though I've met some great friends since I've moved here, you're the one I keep gravitating toward 'cause I feel just as comfortable. It basically matches what you told me."

"Yeah..?"

"Yeah."

We paused for what felt like an eternity. All we were doing was just staring at each other with warm smiles coming off our faces. Seems Snowkey and Rapidash came to a stop, but we didn't notice. A light blush was on our faces as well. I can tell she and I had the desire to hug each other.

"Ok, ok, you two, knock it off," Snowkey said. "You can save the ship moments for later."

Then we snapped back into reality and our faces burned up. I even started scratching the back of my head I got so warm. But my heart was freaking racing. I can feel it pounding on my chest. What even happened to us?

"Whoa," Jill said after she took a deep breath.

"I guess we're lucky that we're riding Pokémon right now and not actually walking," I said.

"Guess so," Jill said. "Wanna head back then?"

"Sure. Maybe we can go to Ocean Beach Park as well."

"That sounds fun. I know you will like it more than here."

"That does sound promising."

"For sure. Then you can do some training with Buizel shortly after that."

"Sounds like a plan."

Just like that, we rode back to the beach, and then we left for Ocean Beach Park after that. It was just as fun as I was told. There was a triple water slide there, an arcade, a mini golf course, and a few other things as well. Even though I'm not as crazy about amusement rides, Jill and I did the water slides a few times, and it was actually pretty fun. Then we explored the nearby Niantic for a bit before getting dinner and heading home. Pretty successful day if you ask me.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Well, Halloween had just come and go a few days ago, and it was pretty fun going out with our friends. I didn't end up going trick-or-treating for the sake of my sanity, but I did still dress up for the fun of it. Though I don't eat a ton of candy, so I was cool with everyone else getting it all, but I was given some afterward, which was nice. The town even had a dance that night that ran until midnight, so we went there for a little while after going around town. While I'm by no means a dancer, I still had a good time, and so did everyone else.

As for what's happening now, Jill had just wrapped up her training for her next Trial, and felt like it was finally time to go. Even though it's now November, Rockwell Park was still open for a little bit longer, mainly because of the Trial Site from what I've heard. But from what I've also heard, even the Trial Site closes for the season just before Thanksgiving, so Trainers that would like to challenge this Trial after that will have to go to the alternate one in Willimantic. Good thing we're going now, 'cause Willimantic is quite a hike from home.

While I was waiting for Jill to get her stuff together and a few people to arrive, I saw a commercial of Lessard Lanes, a bowling alley in Plainville that happens to also have a mini golf course. That sounds cool. I've seen a few commercials of that place here and there whenever I get the time to watch TV. Maybe we can go there to celebrate after Jill clears her Trial.

As Jill was on her way back, Sara, Hannah, Edwin, Elio, and Katie were just arriving at my house.

"Where's Jill?" Sara asked.

"She'll be here very shortly," I answered.

"Cool beans," Sara responded.

"Are we expecting anyone else?" Katie asked.

"Not that I know of," I answered. "Jill knows that one."

"What about me?" Jill asked as she entered the house.

"Right on cue," Hannah said.

"Were you guys just talking about me?" Jill asked in suspicion.

"Don't be suspicious," Katie said. "I was just curious if anyone else is coming."

"Oh, ok," Jill said. "I talked to Leo, but he can't come sadly."

"I'm sure he'll be rooting for you while doing whatever he's doing," Elio said.

"He's right," I added. "Oh, Katie, where's Mike?"

"Mike had some things to do," Katie answered. "Plus he wanted to spend some personal time with his Pokémon since he rarely gets to do that nowadays."

"I get it," I said. "So, do we have everyone here?"

"I think we do," Jill responded.

"Shall we head out then?" Katie asked.

"I think we shall," I said. "Just let me get my van out then we'll get going."

"I can drive us," Katie offered.

"Since when do you drive?" I asked in surprise.

"I've had my license for awhile now," Katie answered. "I just wanted to finish my Senior Year of high school and get into the groove of being Top Conqueror before I got it."

"Ah," I said. "I see."

With all of that said, we all stepped out of the house, and I locked the door before climbing into Katie's car. Good thing she has an SUV, 'cause a normal sedan wouldn't have been able to fit all of us.

The drive to Rockwell Park wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. While we were on our there, I told everyone about Lessard Lanes, and the idea of going there after Jill finishes her Trial. For the most part, everyone is on board with the idea. While none of us are good at bowling, we can still go there to play a game of that and mini golf then grab dinner after that. Or the other way around. Whatever works.

Since it's early November, the park is not as crowded as it could've gotten if we came over the summer. Also, the place looks stunning with the foliage here. It's almost the perfect place for this time of year, and I love it. I can only imagine how this place would look during the winter time with all the fresh snow. That makes me excited for winter even more, which is strange, I know.

Jill and I are fairly new to this place though, so Katie had to direct us to where the Trial Site was, or the battlefield I should say. To put it simply, the entire park is a Trial Site, but is not blocked off for people that don't wanna challenge the Trial. Once we got to the battlefield, there was a sign that was saying to come back later, as the Trial Captain was nowhere to be seen for some reason.

"That's odd," Katie said. "Where could he have gone off to?"

"Has it always been like this?" Jill asked.

"Sometimes," Katie responded. "This is the newest Trial added to the lineup, so I guess the Trial Captain is still getting adjusted to his new job. But it's been a few months now, so he should've had time to do so."

"That's very weird," Jill said.

"Where do you think the Trial Captain could've gone off to?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well, he is really into fishing, so maybe he got distracted at his favorite fishing spot," Katie answered.

"Is he this unreliable?" Edwin asked.

"I can't really say," Katie answered. "It hasn't even been six months since we opened this Trial, so I need more time to know how reliable this Captain really is."

It's been about ten minutes since we got here, and there's still no sight of the Trial Captain. Katie told us that she can't get ahold of the Captain, so all we can really do is wait.

"Hey Katie, since we're waiting, what exactly do challengers have to do at this Trial?" Jill asked.

"Well, since we got nothing to do, it makes sense that you'd ask that," Katie started. "So, what this Trial composes of is challengers have to go to three spots here at the park to fish for three specific items. Wild Pokémon could be either holding onto those items, or they're guarding them, so you will certainly have to battle them if you want to get them from them. Once you have obtained all three items, you have to take them to the Trial Captain, and he will battle you to finish the Trial."

"That sounds pretty straightforward," Jill said. "Do you think I should get a head start now so I can get it over with?"

"I wouldn't recommend that. I don't remember what the items were, or what the order of where you're supposed to go."

Jill and Katie continued to chat about the Trial, so I was talking with the rest of the group, and we decided to go for a walk around the rest of the park. It was definitely a neat place, with a baseball field, a basketball court, tennis court, and a pool. Something caught my eye as we were passing the pool.

"Am I going crazy, or do I see a lilypad in the pool?" I asked as I was looking at the pool.

"That's weird," Sara said. "And that's a large lilypad as well."

"Are you sure that's an actual lilypad, and not just a toy that was left in the pool on accident?" Hannah asked.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Elio said. "That seems really odd and random."

"No kidding," I said. "I'll go take a closer look."

"I might as well go, too," Edwin said as both of us were approaching the pool slowly.

"That's a thick lilypad," I said.

"That's what-" Edwin started.

"Don't you start," I quickly interrupted him. "Seriously though, I thought lily pads are supposed to be much thinner."

"I'm thinking that as well. This could be a Pokémon hiding in the pool."

"How so?"

Edwin pulled out his phone to show me a picture of the Pokémon he was thinking of, which was a Lombre. "Does this answer your question?" He asked. "See the lilypad on its head?"

"I see it. You're really thinking it's a Lombre?"

Just before Edwin could answer my question, the lilypad leaped out of the pool, completely revealing what it was. It was a Lombre after all.

"Told you," Edwin said.

"Shut up," I said. "Hey Jill! Katie! Come look at this!"

"Be right there!" Jill shouted.

Once the girls got here, Jill was shocked, but Katie was confused. Seems Katie was focused on something atop of Lombre instead of Lombre itself.

"What's a Lombre doing here?" Jill asked.

"More specifically, why was this Lombre hiding in a pool?" I asked.

"It was hiding in the pool?" Jill asked. "I thought the pool was tarped up for the winter."

"I was thinking the same thing," I said.

"Umm, Ian, did you even see the envelope on top of Lombre's head?" Katie asked.

"Wait, what?" Edwin asked. "There was an envelope?"

Sara and Hannah facepalmed themselves in unison and sighed pretty deeply. "You seriously missed that?" Sara asked.

"Wow," Hannah said sarcastically. "Just. Wow you two. Nice going."

"Stop!" Edwin and I both said in mild annoyance.

"Maybe we should have a look at what's in that envelope," Jill suggested.

"But it could very well be for someone else," Elio said in worry.

"Maybe, but it doesn't hurt to check," Jill said. "And if it was indeed lost by someone, then we can return it to them. Easy. So, Lombre, do you think you can hand that envelope so we can have a look at it?"

Lombre was pretty harsh in its refusal, and almost lept at us before signalling to Jill. Seems it wants to battle for it.

"So, you wanna battle, huh?" Jill asked. "All right then."

That battle was pretty quick. Sunsil got to do some work with it since it hasn't battled in a long time. Jill decided to keep it out so I can carry it for a bit, which I didn't mind at all. Anyway, Lombre then gives in and gives Jill the envelope. When she opened it, it contained a handwritten message that said for her to head to the bridge that crosses the river.

"That sounds weird," Jill said after she read the message. "Then what?"

"Guess we'll find out when we get there," I said.

When we got there, there was an unattended fishing rod left on the side of the bridge. If you ask me, it seems this is a set up for the Trial. But the pool didn't have any fishing needed, at least from what I could see. Maybe there was a fishing rod left for Jill to use, maybe there wasn't. I'm not sure.

"Now what do we do?" Jill asked.

As we were looking for clues for what we should be doing, Hannah found a sign that was located next to the fishing rod.

"Wait, I think this sign might have an answer," Hannah said.

"What does it say?" Jill asked.

"All it says is 'Try to hook onto a Pearl String. You have the best chance of finding Qwilfish holding onto it.'"

"That's very weird," Sara pointed out. "Why would a Pearl String be tossed into a river? And why would a Qwilfish hold onto it? It doesn't make sense."

"Beats me," Hannah said. "Much like that envelope, this could be a clue."

"A clue for what?" I asked.

"It could help us find the Trial Captain," Hannah answered.

"That could be true Hannah," Katie said. "But we're not sure if that was his handwriting on the message in the envelope, and we're also not sure if this is his Pearl String and Qwilfish that we're looking for."

"Then there's only one way to find out," Jill said as she grabbed the fishing rod. "It's kinda like a treasure hunt."

"You really know how to fish Jill?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jill answered. "My grandpa took me fishing quite a bit when I was young. Yes it's a huge game of patience, but that patience can really pay off once you commit to it."

"Heh, no wonder you're so patient," I said. "And that's not a bad thing at all."

We had to wait for about five minutes before Jill got anything on the hook. Lucky her got the exact Qwilfish that we were looking for, as it was wearing the Pearl String around its body.

"Now that's a lucky catch," Jill said. "And first bite, too."

"How do you even," Sara said.

"It's all patience and dedication Sara," Jill told her.

"Was that a hidden roast?" Sara asked.

"One that wasn't intended to be so," Jill answered.

"Rekt," Edwin said.

"Shut up!" Sara said after she lightly smacked his shoulder.

"Anyway, we should probably grab the Pearl String and move on," Jill said as she was about to take the Pearl String off of Qwilfish. But this thing refused in the worst way possible, as it puffed its body, putting its spikes closer to Jill. "Ack!" Jill then shouted as she dropped Qwilfish so she wouldn't get hurt. "You didn't have to do that!"

"Wait, Jill, hold on!" Elio said.

"What?" Jill asked with some frustration in her voice.

"There's another envelope on the Pearl String," Elio then pointed out.

"Oh, I see it now," Jill said. "Thanks for that. So, it seems this Qwilfish won't hand it over unless I battle it, I'm assuming."

Qwilfish nodded, wiggled to get itself out of the Pearl String, and jumped back into the river. I mean, we could just grab it and go so while it was not looking, but that would be rude. In addition, I'm going with what I said earlier, as this could very well be a setup for the Trial.

As Jill was battling Qwilfish with Blitzle, I overheard Sara and Katie talking about something, but by the time I was paying attention to them, they had already wrapped up their conversation. Sadly, I wasn't able to catch a single word from either of them. Then once I turned back to the battle, it was already over. I've heard Qwilfish aren't the strongest Water or Poison Types out there, so it probably shouldn't be a surprise that Jill defeated it rather quickly.

We waited for Qwilfish to swim away before Jill touched the Pearl String, just to make sure that it's actually safe to do so. Once Jill opened the envelope, it contained another message. Judging by her voice while she was reading it, it seemed to be difficult to read. I won't be surprised if it was considering that it was underwater for quite a bit.

"'Come to the pond, and meet your final step.' Whatever that means," Jill said after reading the message. "Where is the pond, anyway?"

"It should be on the other side of the bridge," Katie said.

"Oh, that's convenient," Jill said.

"What she said," I added.

We made our way to the front of the pond when there was quite a bit there. There was a small building met with a rather neat looking backdrop toward the back of the pond. There's clearly some inspiration from somewhere when this stuff was put in. I can't tell where or what they got the inspiration from, if there is any at all, but it's still cool to see.

"Ok, can I just say that this really must be staged somehow," Elio said.

"You're not the only one Elio," I said. "They wouldn't have that backdrop toward the back for nothing. Along with quite a few other things."

"I'm even starting to think that this all could be part of the Trial," Jill said. "What if I was doing it the whole time without realizing it?"

"That's exactly what we're saying," Elio said.

Sunsil suddenly jumped out of my arms, and looked firmly at the pond. "Something there, Sunsil?" Jill asked her gold fox. Yes, I've now realized that Shiny Vulpix is a light/fainted gold, and not greenish-yellow. Don't judge me.

"Vul!" The Shiny Vulpix firmly responded.

"Something's near," Jill said. "And something big. Probably in the pond."

"And judging by Sunsil's reaction, it doesn't seem it's gonna be a pretty sight," I pointed out.

"We should probably step back," Sara suggested.

"Good idea," Katie said.

Just as the rest of us were heading to the edge of the field, Jill took out Bayleef as a precaution, and put Sunsil back in its Poké Ball. While she was doing that, we all heard a huge splash coming from the pond.

"What the?!" Jill asked in surprise as she took a few steps back herself. "What is that?!"

What came out of the pond was a massive crab Pokémon with one huge pincer that's bigger than the other. Out of curiosity, since I was a safe distance away from it, I pulled out my Pokédex to see what it was.

"Kingler, the Pincer Pokémon, and the evolved form of Krabby," The Pokédex read. "A Water Type. The oversized pincer is so heavy that if Kingler were to lift it too fast, then it would lose balance. However, the large pincer does have over 10,000-horsepower strength." That sounds dangerous. But if it loses balance, then that should make it an easy target for Jill.

Turns out that Kingler didn't take long to be done with thanks to Bayleef. Before Kingler went away completely, it took something out of the water, and left it on the ground. When Jill approached the item, it looked similar to what we've seen before, if that makes sense.

"Wait, that's a Waterium Z," Jill said as she was examining the item. "But we already have one. I don't wanna have extras." I can't really blame her though, since I already have a Waterium Z. However, we haven't shared our Z-Crystals yet since there hasn't been a situation where we would need to use a Z-Crystal that one of us doesn't have, so having doubles would be nice for those kind of scenarios.

"Seems you're a smart girl," A man said as he was coming out of the building near the pond.

"Huh?" Jill asked. "Who are you?"

"The name is Ken," The man responded. "And I'm the Trial Captain here. You are?"

"I'm Jill," Jill responded with a tad of hesitation.

"I saw how you performed in those battles," Ken complimented. "Really good work on finishing most of your Trial!"

"Wait, so all of the stuff that I did was all part of your Trial?" Jill asked.

"You betcha!" Ken responded.

"Well Elio, seems our suspicions were right," I said to Elio.

"No kidding," Elio responded. "Right after the first envelope, it was pretty clear to me that this was a setup for this Trial."

"Well, seems your friends caught on faster than you did," Ken said. "Unless I'm wrong about that of course."

"I had my suspicions as well," Jill said. "But I didn't wanna jump to conclusions just in case it was something else."

"I see," Ken said.

"But I do have one question for you Ken," Jill said.

"Go ahead!" Ken said. "Ask away!"

"Why is your Trial set up like this?" Katie and Jill asked at the same time.

"Wha?! K-Katie?!" Ken said in surprise, almost falling flat on his face. "Whoo boy. I wasn't expecting you to be here as well on a day like this."

"Well, surprise," Katie said. "I don't need to notify you when I'm visiting."

"I know," Ken said. "Beside that, did you forget I told you my plan about the Trial when we were setting it up a while back?"

"Maybe I did," Katie answered. "Being the Top Conqueror is a lot harder than you might think."

"I'll take your word for it," Ken said.

"Don't get me wrong though, the ideas that you have for your Trial are good, but with a few tweaks, it can be even better than it already is. Beside, despite the claim that challengers have to fish for multiple items, there's only one part in the whole Trial that requires fishing. It's things like that that can be an easy fix, and I can help you with that if you would like me to."

"I would like that."

"Also, how come you weren't at the battlefield when Jill was starting her Trial? Did you go off fishing or something?"

"Actually, it was something that I wanted to try out for a little while and see if it sticks."

"And that would be?"

"I wanted to test the instincts of the challengers. What that means is what would the challenger do in a certain situation, like when Jill was trying to get ahold of the two envelopes."

"So, you're saying that I had to trust my gut the whole time and see what happens?" Jill asked.

"You got it," Ken answered.

"That's not a bad idea," Katie said. "But I think that could use some refinements as well. Again, this is a good setup for your Trial Ken, but just a few tweaks are needed, and those will make this Trial great. Don't take it like I'm calling you out for it, because what you have is legitimately good."

"Sorry," Ken said.

"There's no need to apologize Ken," Katie said. "After all, it's simply a case of trial-and-error."

We all sighed at Katie's pun. Then again, she did set herself up to make such a pun. "What?" Katie asked. "What did I do?" Did she really not realize that she made a pun at all?

"THE PUNS!" Sara shouted as she shook Katie's shoulder. "Did you not hear yourself make a pun?!"

"Welp," Katie said. "Seems Mike's humor is catching on even further."

"Well Katie, I guess you let me off the hook for now," Ken said. "Get it?! 'Cause I'm a fisherman, and I use a hook on my fishing rod to reel in my catches?! Huh?! Huh?! I'm funny! You know I'm funny!"

"Hey, hey, let me tell you something buddy," I said to Ken. "That was horrible."

"Yeesh Ian, no need to be so harsh," Elio said.

"To be honest, I dunno who to smack first," Sara said.

"Now now Sara, there's no need to smack anyone," Hannah said.

"Fine," Sara said after she had sighed.

"Wait, who said 'Ian?'" Ken asked.

"That would've been me," Elio answered.

"And which one of you is Ian?" Ken then asked.

"That would be me," I said.

"Ah, so you must be Mike's cousin then," Ken said. "I've been hearing that he's been acting a mentor to you. Finally good to meet you. By the way Katie, are you Jill's mentee at all?"

"Well, I…" Katie hesitated. "I mean, if Ian looks up to Mike as a mentor, then I wouldn't have a problem doing so. But Jill has been doing most if not all of the work herself, and only turns to me if she absolutely has to."

"Ah, I see," Ken said. "So, with all of that out of the way, Jill, you ready to finally finish your Trial?"

"Sure!" Jill responded.

Thankfully, we did know the way to the battlefield since we went there first when we got there. While we were walking there, Jill told Ken that I moved here was Sinnoh, which made Ken interested in me a bit more. I told him that I've been living here since May. He seemed to want to know more about how my life in Sinnoh was, but I backed out of that since that is a part of my life that I'd rather not talk about unless I really have to.

Once we got to the battlefield, the rest of us took our seats on the bleachers while Jill and Ken took their spots on the battlefield. Going by the Pokémon that Jill had battled during her Trial, we're gonna be seeing Water Types once again. I'm still curious if Jill actually wants to take that extra Waterium Z that Kingler left. I mean, it would be nice to have extras so that if Jill and I have to use a Water-Type Z-Move together, then that's where an extra one would come in handy, but I can't name any other situation where we would need an extra. Maybe I'm overthinking it again.

"Agh, where's my ref?" Ken asked to himself. "Boy, I really should've prepared this Trial better."

"Ah, there you are Ken," Another man said as he entered the battlefield as well. "Thought you took off somewhere again."

"Now's not the time Austin," Ken said. "At least I'm glad you got here in time."

"I've been looking for you for a while now," Austin said. "But at least I see you doing your job."

"Jeez, someone's sassy," Jill pointed out.

"Don't worry about it young lady," Austin said. "Ken and I like to tease each other daily."

"And sometimes at the worst times might I add," Ken added. "Can you just get our battle started now?"

"Of course," Austin said. "So, the final battle of the Bristol Trial between Trial Captain Ken and challenger Jill will begin. Both Trainers are allowed to use up to three Pokémon, but when all three Pokémon from either team are not able to continue, the battle will be over. Challenger, you are allowed to substitute your Pokémon at any given time if you please. Now Trainers, bring your Pokémon out so we can get this started!"

"I may be a fisherman, but I do have my ways when it comes to Pokémon battles," Ken said. "Psyduck, you're up first!" He then said as he threw his Poké Ball.

What came out of the Poké Ball was a rather goofy-looking yellow duck Pokémon. It honestly looks kinda cute and derpy or something. I dunno. There's something about it that makes me smile a bit.

"Just as I thought, he is using Water Types," Jill said. "Ok then. Bayleef, come on out!" She then said as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out her partner.

"Alrighty then, if you two are set, then you may let the battle begin!" Austin said.

"'Kay Bayleef, let's start off with Energy Ball!" Jill commanded.

Good thing Jill is starting off with a super effective move right off the bat. That should give her a healthy start in theory at least.

"Well Psyduck, how about we start with Confusion," Ken said.

Much like how Bayleef started off with a pretty strong hit, Psyduck returns with an attack just as if not a bit more powerful. Jill is gonna have to be careful, as Confusion does also have a chance of confusing the target as well, but I'm sure she's well aware of it. I just thought: How about we do a perspective change over to Jill so you don't have to deal with my blabbering in my head as this battle is going on? Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Writer, do your thing.

That Confusion could be trouble for us if we're not careful. But in reality, there's really nothing we can do about that. We'll just have to be lucky, and hope for the best. On top of that, considering that Psyduck is weak to Grass, I wouldn't be surprised if Psyduck keeps using that and any other moves that would be regular effective on Bayleef. If I had to say any good things about this situation is at least Ken isn't using a Poison-Type like Qwilfish right off the bat.

"Bayleef, use Tackle," I told my partner.

You'd be surprised how hard Bayleef can hit with Tackle, especially since it isn't that fast at all. Mind you, it wasn't a critical hit or anything crazy, but I'm happy with it.

"Psyduck, use Fury Swipes," Ken said.

The tiny yellow duck rushed at Bayleef, and scratched it quite a few times. It didn't seem to do a whole lot of damage or anything, but I don't see multi-hit attacks all too often. Maybe Ian has, but I don't know.

"You okay there Bayleef?" I asked.

"Bay!" My partner firmly responded.

"Sweet!" I said. "Now use Poison Powder!"

Psyduck should be an easy target for Bayleef since it was still close by after it used Fury Swipes. Plus Bayleef can spray Poison Powder pretty far, but it's not a wide area, unless it sways back and forth while spraying.

"Dodge it," Ken commanded.

Psyduck suddenly did a ground roll, avoiding Bayleef's Poison Powder by a pretty significant margin. I'm not too worried about that honestly. It's still very early in the battle, so things are obviously gonna change pretty quickly, for better or for worse.

"Bayleef, use Energy Ball," I said.

When you think about it, Energy Ball is our strongest attack that we have at the moment. Poison Powder and Synthesis also go together very well, but I think we should start looking at other moves that Bayleef can learn, since Tackle is starting to stick out like a sore thumb just a little bit. Then again, it's technically still pretty early in my journey, so I shouldn't make a big deal out of this for now.

"That'll do," Ken said. "Psyduck, use Disable."

A flashing light came out of Psyduck's eyes, and that made Bayleef flinch. That isn't good. I haven't seen this move used before at all, so it better not have done what I think it did. If it did, then I'm in trouble. Energy Ball is our only damaging Grass-Type attack, so if it is disabled, then I have to think of another strategy right on the fly.

"Wait, what just happened?" I asked.

"The move Disable is pretty straightforward," Ken explained. "It's all in the name. It temporarily disables the most recent move you used. Can't get any simpler than that."

"Crap," I said. "That's not good at all. Oh, what to do, what to do."

"Got you stumped, didn't I Jill?" Ken asked.

"Maybe," I answered. "But we can work our way around this. Bayleef, use Poison Powder."

This time, Bayleef did land the Poison Powder, poisoning Psyduck. Now we can do some decent damage with that and Tackle, albeit not as much as one Energy Ball would. However, given the limited resources that we have for now, this'll work for me just fine.

"Well shoot," Ken said. "I almost forgot you had that."

That made me sigh pretty loudly, and I clapped slowly as well. "Good job Ken," I said sarcastically. "Did you already forget that you had Psyduck avoid that the first time around?"

"Hey, you know," Ken started. "I'm managing too many things at once here. Cut me some slack."

"I mean, you're not wrong," I said.

"Eh," Ken said. "Whatever. Psyduck, use Water Pulse."

What was shot from Psyduck looked a little weird. It's very round, but not a complete sphere, if that makes sense. The water was in a complete circle, and made a pretty big splash when it hit Bayleef. It's kind of interesting that Ken chose to use a Water-Type move despite it not being very effective on Bayleef. I mean, the only reason I can see him doing that is because Water Pulse also has a chance of confusion, just like Confusion itself. As soon as Psyduck shot its attack, it took damage from the poison.

"Bayleef, use Tackle once more," I said to Bayleef.

Until the Disable wears off, we'll just have to keep using Tackle for our attacking move. Hopefully it'll wear off soon, because I really need it right about now.

"Psyduck, you alright?" Ken asked his Pokémon.

Psyduck got up from being sent to the ground by Tackle's impact, and shook its head multiple times before nodding at Ken. It's already showing signs of fatigue thanks to the multiple heavy attacks and poison damage. It couldn't have been this easy to wear it down; No way.

"Good, good," Ken said. "Then use Confusion."

Despite Psyduck showing fatigue already, it was still able to do as much damage as it normally would when it first came into the battle. At least Bayleef didn't get confused yet, so hopefully we can finish off Psyduck pretty soon. Either that, or the poison will finish it for us. Though I probably jinxed myself right there. Also, I'm sure Ian would've made a pun out of that, but I won't for the sake of your sanity.

"You're doing great Bayleef," I said. "Use Synthesis to heal yourself!"

The leaf on top of Bayleef's head glowed, allowing it to absorb the light and heal itself. The look on Bayleef's face tells me that it looks a bit more refreshed now after using Synthesis. That doesn't mean it looks relaxed, not in a scenario like this.

"Well I'll say," Ken said. "Your Bayleef sure is loaded. Seems you've raised it very well. And it's a rather fast one as well; Haven't seen a Bayleef this fast before."

"So it's not just me that is noticing that," I said. I thought for sure I was losing my mind, as no one else has pointed it out. Since that piqued my curiosity, I double-checked my Pokédex to see if it can pick up what's going on with Bayleef. "Wait, it has Chlorophyll? I thought Bayleef couldn't get that Ability."

"That's fascinating," Ken said. "While that would explain why Bayleef is so much faster than normal, I don't think I've seen a Bayleef with Chlorophyll. The Ability is not even active since there's no harsh sunlight on the battlefield at the moment."

"Then what would be causing Bayleef to be this fast?" I asked.

"I really don't know. This is new stuff to me. Very new."

"Then I'll have to check with Professor Fir after this to see what he has to say about it."

"Oh, you've met Doug before? I haven't heard from him in ages. Maybe I'll go see him to check in one of these days. Psyduck, use Confusion once again."

If it weren't for Bayleef using Synthesis, then there's a good chance that that Confusion would've finished it, as it resulted in a critical hit. Just as Bayleef got hit, I saw a beam of light shine down its body. What was that? Did something about the Confusion happen to Bayleef?

"What was that?" I asked. "Did the Disable wear off or something?"

"Be ready Psyduck!" Ken shouted.

"Then that's a yes," I said. "Bayleef, use Energy Ball!"

One Energy Ball later, and Psyduck is down. That wasn't even a critical hit, and it still did a large amount of damage. I'm thinking about something: I might send out Sunsil later on so I can hopefully take advantage of Chlorophyll now that I know that Bayleef has that. But I'm still curious as to how it was still able to move so fast, and I was able to feel those movements; Almost like I wanted to move along with Bayleef. This is weird. Maybe this is what Ian was experiencing with Monferno during his Gym Battle with Erin.

"Psyduck is out!" Austin announces. "Bayleef is the winner!"

"That was a great start Bayleef!" I told my partner. "Just gotta keep that momentum going, and we'll have this battle in the bag!"

"Bay!" My partner shouted with excitement.

When Ken put Psyduck back in its Poké Ball, he put a warm smile on his face when he looked up at us. "A great start indeed Jill," He said to us. "If there's one thing that I really appreciate of you is your everlasting enthusiasm. It's really addictive, and it makes me wish the rest of the world was like that."

"Aw Ken, stop!" I said as I blushed. "You're making me blush! I do appreciate the compliment though."

"Are you sure you're not related to Katie at all?" Ken then asked.

"I'm sure of it," I answered. "Mike and Katie might act like they're brother and sister sometimes, but that just comes with being in a strong relationship for so long I guess."

"Oh, since when did we start talking about love?"

"That was my fault. I'm going nowhere with this conversation."

"Don't feel bad about it Jill. I do that as well a lot of the time. I really thought that was gonna happen to me when I was trying to explain the Trial again with Katie before we started our battle."

"I see."

"Speaking of which, Staryu, come on out if you so please!" Ken said as he tossed his Poké Ball, calling out his next Pokémon. What came out was literally what it sounded like: A living starfish Pokémon. On top of that, it let out a loud "Hya!"

I would really like to let Bayleef keep going, but I also wanna let my other Pokémon have a chance in this battle. "Bayleef, I think you should take a break for now," I said to my partner.

Bayleef was on board with the idea, as it knows that I wanna save it for later if I need to. "Now Blitzle, it's your turn!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my tiny zebra Pokémon. Blitzle hasn't been doing a ton of battling lately, even though I've been doing plenty of training with it, so I figured it'd be nice to let it get out there for a bit.

"Well, switching out, eh?" Ken asked.

"As much as I would like to use Bayleef all the way through, it wouldn't be fair to my other Pokémon," I answered. "Plus, that'll just wear out Bayleef a lot faster than letting it rest so I can use my other Pokémon."

"I get what you're saying," Ken said. "A good Trainer always has to know when is a good time to let their Pokémon rest to let others take control. As you also said, letting them go for an entire three-on-three battle will make them very exhausted near the end, which will hurt their performance."

"Exactly my point," I added. "All right Blitzle, use Shock Wave!"

Even though Bayleef was fast, there was no question that Blitzle was a lot faster, and it was able to get the first move almost instantly. Sometimes I tend to forget just how satisfying Electric-Type attacks can be, especially when they're used on a Water-Type Pokémon like Staryu.

"Shocking!" Ken shouted.

"That pun though," I pointed out.

"Get it?!" Ken asked.

"Don't you start," I answered.

"Fine. Staryu, Rapid Spin!"

Even though Staryu was spinning pretty fast, the impact didn't seem to be super powerful, as it didn't knock Blitzle to the ground like a stronger attack would. That being said, I have heard that Rapid Spin is useful for getting rid of any trap moves like Stealth Rock or Spikes.

"Blitzle, use Thunder Wave," I said to my Pokémon.

Staryu is relatively fast, so I figured it'd be best for us to slow it down early so we can a bit more of a lead. And potentially not let it attack at all, which will be nice to give us more room to breathe. Did that make any sense? Probably not.

"Well it seems I got dragged into a pickle," Ken said. "Staryu, get yourself together and use Recover."

As much as I wanted to see Staryu not be able to move on the first turn of being paralyzed, it was still able to move, and regain its health. This is bad. If Staryu is able to recover when it's able to move, then that's gonna drain out Blitzle. Now I wonder if I should've kept in Bayleef to use Poison Powder on it. At this point, I don't think it really matters what I did. Can't go back now. We'll just have to keep moving forward.

"That's gonna be a problem," I said. "Blitzle, use Shock Wave again."

Thankfully, Blitzle landed a critical hit this time with Shock Wave. As long as we can prevent Staryu from using Recover, it'll be done in no time at all. In theory that is. I have no idea how long we can keep this up.

"Staryu, you doing okay?" Ken asked his Pokémon.

Since Staryu didn't have a face, all it could do was bend its body forward to make it seem like it's nodding at Ken. Before it did that, it leapt up and vertically spun rather quickly.

"Excellent," Ken said. "Use Bubble Beam. Now!"

Whoa, Ken's getting a lot more demanding now. Seems he's getting more serious, and wants to prove that with his attitude or something. 'Cause that's quite a change of mood for him. I thought he was an all-relaxed man through and through. Guess not.

That Bubble Beam hit pretty hard, and it even lowered Blitzle's Speed a bit on the first try. Interesting to say the least. Granted, Staryu is still paralyzed, so we're still faster, but I think Ken's trying to slow us to the point where both Pokémon are basically the same Speed.

"You okay?" I asked Blitzle.

Even though it got a little wet from the BubbleBeam, the zebra Pokémon was still going strong. That's one thing that I really like about Blitzle: Its defenses may not be the greatest, even I can admit, but it can really pack a punch when done right.

"All right," I said. "Then use Flame Charge, and get that Speed back up!"

Yeah, I'm using a move that is not very effective on Staryu, but it's still doing damage, and it's getting our Speed back to where it should be. Gonna have to pull out all the stops from here on out. This battle has basically reached its halfway point.

"Well she figured us out," Ken said to himself. "This calls for a new plan. Staryu, use Swift."

Now he's going for a move that's guaranteed to hit? Seems he's gonna be more offense this time. Then again, three of Staryu's four moves are aimed at being offense, while Recover is its form of defense. Gee, I might as well be the new Captain Obvious.

"Keep it up Blitzle!" I said. "Use Shock Wave!"

It does seem we also have this part of the battle in the bag, as Shock Wave hit pretty hard. That's still impressive considering that it wasn't a critical hit.

"Quick Staryu, use Recover!" Ken commanded.

"Not unless we use Quick Attack!" I said.

Blitzle managed to get in to strike Staryu before it could make its move. Luckily, Staryu was not able to move due to the paralysis. Luck really has to be on my side for this battle; I really don't recall being this lucky. And I doubt it's gonna last considering that I still have all three of my Pokémon remaining.

"Well that's not good," Ken said. "Staryu, use Swift. And make this one count."

That Swift landed in a critical hit. This is starting to get bad. Me and my big mouth.

"Hang in there Blitzle," I said. "Use Shock Wave!"

One guaranteed-hit move right after another. Who knows which Pokémon is gonna go down first? It can really go either way at this point. Now I'm starting to wonder if Blitzle is gonna be able to go for longer after Staryu is done, because it's starting to not look like it.

"One last stretch Staryu," Ken said. "Use Bubble Beam!"

"Dodge it!" I said. "And use Flame Charge!"

One jump to the side, and Blitzle is charging right at Staryu. This really could defeat Staryu. Hopefully. I really wanna save Blitzle for later, but I also don't wanna switch out. Ugh. So many tough decisions in so little time.

"Not so fast!" The Trial Captain said to his Pokémon. "Keep firing Bubble Beam until it stops!"

"You gotta get in full force Blitzle!" I said to my Pokémon.

This was gonna be one solid collision. And after some smoke from the impact dissipated, we got to see what was behind it. And what we saw almost shook the pants off of both of us. Both Pokémon were down.

"Can you go on Blitzle?" I asked first after almost a few seconds of silence.

Blitzle was struggling to get up. That Bubble Beam really must've hurt a lot. Who knows how Staryu is considering that it seemed to have taken more damage than Blitzle. But the critical hit from that Swift might've mattered.

"You able to keep going as well Staryu?" Ken asked.

Staryu was the same story. It was having just as much trouble getting back up.

Just as when both Pokémon were ready to continue, both of them fell once again. Could this be it for this round of the battle?

"Both Pokémon are out!" Austin announced after checking the Pokémon a couple times. "This part is a tie!"

"Well shoot," Ken said as he put Staryu back in its Poké Ball. "That's a shocker."

"You're telling me," I said as I went to check on Blitzle. "You okay bud?"

Blitzle did pull itself up just a bit so that it can lick me on my cheek. I couldn't be mad that it didn't defeat Staryu altogether. It was a strong one without a doubt, and it tried its hardest. In all honesty, that's all that really counts when it comes to these Pokémon battles.

"Good to see you're feeling decent," I said as I rubbed its head. "Now make sure you take a good rest," I added as I put Blitzle back in its Poké Ball then returning to my spot. "Didn't see that one coming Ken."

"Back at you," Ken responded. "I'll admit, I thought you and Blitzle had us. Guess Staryu gave it a little more effort to tie with Blitzle. Not being able to use Recover a second time when I needed it, and that crit from Swift might've mattered for us."

"Definitely," I said. "Even I thought this round was in the bag already. I guess both of us jumped to conclusions a little too soon."

"You said it. I don't think I've ever felt this enthusiastic about a battle in a while."

"How so?"

"I'll talk about that after this."

"I'm taking that with a grain of salt, as a certain author who's making this battle happen keeps forgetting to do that."

"Hey, if I have faith in him, then you should as well. And that applies to the readers as well."

"Fine."

"Now that that's over with, let's go ahead and finish this. And make it a worthy catch! Araquanid, I'm counting on you!" Ken then said as he threw his Poké Ball, calling out his final Pokémon.

What came out was a rather large and intimidating spider Pokémon with a giant bubble covering its head. I don't think I've ever seen this Pokémon before, definitely not in this area. I had to pull out my Pokédex to see just what is up with this thing, and to also see who should I send out next.

"Araquanid: The Water Bubble Pokémon, and the evolved form of Dewpider. A Water and Bug Type," The Pokédex read. Dewpider? Never heard of that Pokémon either. "Despite the intimidating appearance, Araquanid are said to be very gentle and caring for others. If there is anything that this Alolan Pokémon values, then it'll store them inside of its water bubble." That would explain why I never heard of this Pokémon. I wasn't born in Alola, and I've never been to Alola before. Plus, I haven't heard from anyone who has seen/heard about this Pokémon or Dewpider over here.

This could mean trouble though. No matter who I send out, whatever Grass-/Fire-Type move I use will be just regular effective on Araquanid. So I gotta think a bit differently. Do I send out Sunsil to temporarily weaken its Water-Type moves? Or do I send out Bayleef to poison it and resist its Water-Type moves? The battle could go very south for me no matter who I send out, as Araquanid is super effective on both Bayleef and Sunsil.

"We'll have to take our chances," I said to myself. "Sunsil, come on out!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my gold fox.

Sunsil's Drought is gonna be so helpful for a good while. I have a good feeling Ian's going insane on the inside now that Sunsil is out. He absolutely loves her (Yes, Sunsil is a female.), and I don't blame him, but you probably knew that already.

"Well I'll be," Ken said. "A Shiny Kantonian Vulpix with its Hidden Ability. Ain't that fancy?"

"Yeah, I'm super lucky about Sunsil. I'm so proud of her."

"Vul!" Sunsil said in the cutest way possible as she wagged her tail.

"Definitely a cutie," Ken said. "I would like to see if that cuteness can translate into power."

"You'd be surprised how capable Sunsil is," I pointed out. "Sunsil, use Baby-Doll Eyes!"

Possibly the cutest eyes you'll ever lay your eyes on has struck Araquanid, lowering its physical Attack a bit. Also, I've learned that Baby-Doll Eyes has higher priority than even moves like Quick Attack or Aqua Jet. That could be very helpful if Araquanid has mostly physical attacks.

"Trying to rub in that cuteness now, aren't we," Ken said. "I'd say it's not gonna work, but that would be super repetitive and redundant. So I'm just going to cut to the chase, and ask my Araquanid to use Bubble Beam instead." Talk about weird word choice and sentence structure.

While that would be a pretty powerful hit, Vulpix is known for relatively high Special Defense for an unevolved Pokémon, and since Drought has been activated, the power of any of its Water-Type moves has been slightly weakened as well. So maybe it was a good idea for me to go with Sunsil first.

"I can live with that," I said. "Sunsil, use Heat Wave!"

Now to see how much a boosted Fire-Type attack will do. And the result: It didn't do much at all. That's concerning. Just looking at Araquanid wouldn't make you think that it could have a decently high Special Defense. I have my doubts that Quick Attack will fair up any better.

"That's not good," I said to myself. "That looked like it didn't do a ton of damage."

"This is your first time battling an Araquanid, right?" Ken asked.

"That's a given," I answered. "I never even heard of this Pokémon before."

"Well, let me tell you that this Pokémon has plenty of surprises to go around. Just to let you know, your Fire-Type moves won't do much to Araquanid due to a good amount of things, even with the harsh sunlight. One, its Ability Water Bubble reduces the amount of damage taken by Fire-Type moves. Two, the same Ability gives a good boost to Water-Type moves. And finally, Araquanid has good Special Defense."

"Crap. This is worse than I thought."

"Got you! Araquanid, use Bite!"

"Sunsil, use Quick Attack!"

My plan basically got thrown out the window after being told about Araquanid. So now I'm gonna have to do as much damage with Sunsil as I can, then finish it up with Bayleef. I know that we can either burn it or poison it during this battle, it'll just depend on either how lucky I am with Ember or I'll have to be forced to use Poison Powder. That was a mouthful of a sentence, but you know what I'm trying to say here.

At the very least, Bite didn't hit that hard thanks to Sunsil's Baby-Doll Eyes. And I'm also glad that Sunsil is faster so we don't have to deal with getting flinched from Bite. Other than that though, it's gonna be a tough fight…

"You doing okay Sunsil?" I asked.

Already Sunsil is starting to have a hard time. It didn't take long for it to possibly have half of its health to be drained already. If that thing has any sort of healing move, then we're in even bigger trouble.

"I know it's tougher than we thought," I said to my Shiny Pokémon. "But all we can do know is just try. Hang in there Sunsil, you're gonna be alright. So let's use Heat Wave."

I almost feel bad keeping Sunsil out when I could switch over to Bayleef. But Bayleef is a Grass Type, while Araquanid is a Bug Type. Even if we resist its Water-Type attacks, we'll still take massive damage from its Bug-Type attacks. It's all a balancing act, albeit a very hard one. But I do know that Sunsil will be able to make it a bit easier for Bayleef once it's time for it to come back out. Case in point with that Heat Wave, as it did land a critical hit finally.

"I think that critical hit might've actually mattered," I said to myself.

"You say that, but how much will it actually matter?" Ken asked.

"I, I don't know," I answered. "Given the sudden limitations that just came across me, I think this is the best that Sunsil can do at the moment, and I'm just fine with that."

"You think your Pokémon doing very little damage is still fine for you? You won't be able to get very far with that kind of mindset or attitude."

"What do you mean?"

"That's something that I cannot answer for you. You have to find that out on your own. Araquanid, Infestation!"

I don't even know what to make of this move since it looks so bizarre. But going by what I just saw, it looks like Sunsil got trapped by something that'll do damage at the end of each turn. I'm just assuming that since it dissipated after it dealt damage to Sunsil.

"What kind of a move was that?" I asked.

"To put it bluntly, it's a Bug-Type version of Fire Spin," Ken answered. "So, good luck trying to switch out your Vulpix, 'cause you won't be able to."

"Agh, just as I thought unfortunately," I said to myself.

This is going south really fast. If I don't think of something right now, then this could cost me the entire Trial. Wait, I just remembered something. Something that could possibly turn this around.

I pulled up my wrist and looked down at my Z-Power Ring, seeing that the Firium Z that I got from Clara was still in there. Then a thought occurred to me: We can try and use a Z-Move right now. It's a big risk, but what else can I really do?

"It's our only chance," I said to myself. "Sunsil, you with me?"

"Pix!" My Pokémon answered.

"Then let's give it a go," I said as I crossed my arms, activating my Z-Power Ring. I've only tried performing my Z-Moves a few times while training, so this'll be first time that I actually get to use it in battle. Also, I completely understand why Ian likes practicing these poses now; They are pretty cool, but I feel like he's being a little overdramatic.

"ALL OR NOTHING, SUNSIL!" I said as our Z-Power was charging.

"Vulpix!" Sunsil shouted after a peculiar symbol glowed from its body. I've seen this before, so I don't have to worry about that.

"Centralize our power into a tremendous shot," I said. "Use Inferno Overdrive!"

Some say the move is overkill, some say it's not enough. I'd say it's just right, even if it looks very overthetop. One giant fireball, plus a giant impact, equals huge explosion. That sounds so epic, even more so since that came from one of the cutest Pokémon of all time.

"Was that enough?" I asked as I was waiting for the smoke to clear.

As the smoke was getting thinner and thinner, we were able to see what was behind it. What was behind it shocked the pants off of me. Araquanid was still standing.

"No way!" I said. "How?!"

"Admittedly, that was a very impressive Z-Move Jill," Ken compliment. "But relying on the nuke early on is not a good strategy. You still need practice to know when is the perfect time to use it. But the actual Z-Move itself was very well done."

"Crap," I said. "I really thought that would do it."

"Just keep trying. You're still doing good."

"Well I'm gonna have to try harder if I'm gonna get anywhere with this thing."

That's not going to help the Infestation though, at least for the time being. More likely than not, the sunlight were wear off before the Infestation does. That worries me, as I was planning on taking advantage of that with Bayleef.

"Know what, screw it," I said. "We'll just keep going until someone goes down. Sunsil, use Heat Wave!"

At least Araquanid doesn't seem to have any sort of recovery move, so even with the little damage we're doing right now, it still counts. Just gotta hope Sunsil can hang in there just a tad longer.

"Heh, as fun as it is to battle your Vulpix, we have to put it in a corner," Ken said. "Araquanid, time to reel it in!" Then I saw him cross his arms just like the way I did. He's got a Z-Ring of his own. The pose I saw was something I haven't seen yet. He was waving his arms in one direction, and then waved another before stopping. "GO! ARAQUANID!"

Now I'm not sure if Sunsil can even take this Z-Move. If Inferno Overdrive only did that much to Araquanid, then who knows how much this'll do. "Time to make the ultimate wave with the fullest power!" Ken shouted. "Use Hydro Vortex!"

After witnessing Sunsil getting whacked around in the giant whirlpool caused by the Z-Move, I understand why Ian felt very sad then Sunsil got knocked out during my battle with Clara; It really is tough to watch. Tougher than any of my other Pokémon, which is something that I really shouldn't be feeling I don't think. As I had feared, that Z-Move did enough damage to finish Sunsil.

"Vulpix is out!" Austin announced. "Araquanid is the winner!"

"Sunsil…" I said to myself before walking to the injured fox Pokémon. "You okay?" I then asked as I picked her up.

"Vul," Sunsil said very softly.

"I'm sorry. I should've known about what kind of Pokémon Araquanid is. But I got selfish, and it ultimately costed you." I was starting to have tears in my eyes. Yeah, I have one Pokémon left, but that Araquanid is powerful, and I'm having slight doubts that Bayleef can handle it.

"Vul," Sunsil said. "Vulpix." Then the gold fox licked my cheek. And even hugged my shoulder. She was basically telling me that it was okay, and that it wasn't my fault for her losing. This makes me feel glad that I did decide to raise Sunsil, as this the kind of Pokémon that I basically need in my life.

"Thank you Sunsil," I said as I hugged her. "I think I needed that. For now, just make sure you take a good rest, ok?"

"Vul!" Sunsil happily answered.

"I just need to ask one thing," Ken started. "Why is your Vulpix so adorable?!"

"That's just how Vulpix can be," I answered as I put Sunsil back in her Poké Ball. "If you raise one when it's young, they'll grow close to you like a puppy Pokémon. It's just the cutest!"

"Maybe my girlfriend could use one of her own. She's searching for an emotional support Pokémon to help her finish college, and I've been helping her ever since we got together."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you."

"It's the least I can do for her. I'm sad to say this, but I'm a college dropout myself. I was on the brink of depression during my second semester, and I was looking into other careers. Fishing was the perfect thing for me, and I got recognized pretty early after reeling in four Shinies in a day."

"Oh wow. That would probably explain why you seem to be so laid-back; You try your hardest to not get yourself worked up. I think that's awesome."

"Yeah, you can say that. It's been a few years since that had happened, and I'm almost fully recovered."

"That's nice. I do have one more question before we finish this battle: What caused you to feel so depressed?"

"It was multiple factors Jill. The workload was overwhelming, I was feeling constantly stressed, and it was impossible for me to other things that I enjoyed without college getting in the way. I also told Katie about this during my interview with her, and she was very forgiving and willing to help me work on the Trial due to my past experiences."

"I see. But if you're helping your girlfriend look for an emotional support Pokémon, then how come you haven't looked for one yourself?"

"I feel a lot happier doing what I'm doing now. My girlfriend has told me the same thing, and I've always told her that I would rather help her first then worry about myself."

"Dude, I get that she's your girlfriend, but focusing on yourself should be just as important."

"I know. But truthfully, I don't need one."

"How come?"

"I've got my partner. Araquanid was the first Pokémon I ever caught, and it has been there for me since the beginning of my days as a Trainer. It really knows how to cheer me up, even if it can't sit in my lap anymore. Sorry pal."

Araquanid almost shot a sad look at Ken. Now that I've just heard that, I almost feel bad for him. He's been through a lot of crap in his past, and he's trying all that he can to make himself happy again. While I was still trying to process that in my head, I looked over to the bleachers, and saw the look Ian had on his face. I think he also understands where Ken was coming from.

"Well, why don't both of you look into Vulpix or even Eevee?" I suggested. "Both of them are great for the house, and they're super adorable."

"I'll take your word for it," Ken responded. "For now, let's focus on the task at hand. This battle can't finish itself, which also applies to a catch being reeled up on its own."

"My thoughts exactly," I said. I gazed down at Bayleef's Poké Ball before tossing it again. "It's up to you, partner. Let's do this together!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling Bayleef back out.

"Partner vs partner," Ken pointed. "This is getting exciting."

"I feel you," I added. "This battle really has been a lot of fun."

"No kidding."

"Let's get this finale started then! Bayleef, get yourself back up to full health with Synthesis."

My best guess is that Bayleef is still at half health, so a boosted Synthesis should be able to get that to at or almost full. This last bit of sunlight from Sunsil's Drought is gonna be crucial going forward. Plus it's letting us take advantage of Chlorophyll for the first time.

"Might as well take some of that health you gained away again," Ken said. "Araquanid, use Bug Bite!"

Araquanid bit Bayleef pretty darn hard, doing super effective damage in the process. So we just have to worry about this and Infestation. That sounds decent on paper, but it's gonna be a pain in the process.

"Now Bayleef, use Poison Powder," I told my partner.

At least I knew that I had to land this move right away after letting Bayleef heal up. But now how will I be able to keep Bayleef standing while our attacks slowly bring it down with the poison? Guess I'll just have to use Synthesis a little more frequently until then.

"Saw that one coming," Ken said. "We're almost there Araquanid. Use Infestation."

"Dodge it!" I quickly said.

That was a good start. The more moves we can avoid, the better. But I'm not holding my breath about it, though we do have a better shot at that while the harsh sunlight is still active.

"Now use Energy Ball!" I then said.

Good news is we don't have to deal with Water Bubble when we're dealing damage. But Energy Ball is still a special attack, so we still have Araquanid's high Special Defense to deal with.

"Araquanid, use Bite," Ken told his Pokémon.

That's odd. I thought for sure he would use another Bug Bite since that is super effective compared to Bite. Maybe he thought the harsh sunlight was gonna wear off, and wanted to see if Araquanid would be able to out speed Bayleef or something? I dunno. It only makes it worse for him since Araquanid is now taking poison damage now.

"You doing okay Bayleef?" I asked.

"Bay!" My partner responded.

"Good," I said. "Then use Tackle."

Even though Bayleef doesn't get Same-Type Attack Bonus from Tackle, it looks like it does just as much as Energy Ball, as it seems Araquanid physical Defense isn't as good as its Special Defense. So we might be able to use that to our advantage. Plus the poison will be very crucial.

"Hang in there for just a bit more bud!" Ken said. "Use Bug Bite!"

This is getting very close. Had that been a critical hit, then Bayleef would've likely been knocked out. Just a bit more damage from the poison, and we'll be in range for the KO ourselves.

"Quick Bayleef, squeeze in another Synthesis!" I said.

Good thing I called for Synthesis right there, as right as Bayleef healed itself, the harsh sunlight wore off. Now it's the real final stretch.

"Got very lucky right there," Ken pointed out. "Araquanid, use Infestation one more time!"

Araquanid did manage to land the Infestation this time. Even though it was a super effective attack, it didn't seem to do that much damage at all, so it seems to be a pretty low-powered move. So now it comes down to which one of these two conditions will decide the battle: Poison or Infestation?

"We're almost done Bayleef," I said to my partner. "Use Energy Ball!"

"She is right Araquanid," Ken said. "Use Bite!"

After both Pokémon landed their attacks, both of them took damage from the poison and Infestation respectively. One last hit from either, and it'll most likely be over. The big question is who will land it first?

"Do I heal, or go for it?" I asked myself. "Gonna take my chances. Bayleef, use one more Energy Ball."

"Araquanid, use Bubble Beam," Ken called out. Why? I get that it gets the boost from Water Bubble, but Energy Ball will just pierce right through. Unless I'm proven wrong that is.

Both Pokémon shot their attacks simultaneously, and they landed at basically the same time. Now we just gotta see who is still standing. Surprisingly, both of them were still standing. Just when I thought this battle was actually gonna end in a draw, the poison took down Araquanid for good, while Bayleef was still standing after taking Infestation damage.

"Araquanid is out!" Austin announced. "Bayleef is the winner! That means the winner of the Trial is Jill the challenger!"

"We actually did it!" I shouted as I was jumping for joy. "Bayleef!" I also shouted as I was running to tackle hug my partner. "That was so awesome!"

"Haha," Ken chuckled as he started to walk over to Araquanid. "They so deserve it. Don't you agree, pal?"

Ken's partner quickly nodded, showing what looks like a happy face on top of its head. Then both of them started to walk toward us. "That was an awesome battle Jill," Ken complimented.

"Thank you Ken!" I responded. "You two also battled very well!"

"Thanks for that. And back at you."

"Thanks."

"So Jill, you probably already know what's coming next. But before I do, I just wanna tell you something."

"What?"

"Would you mind if I took a picture of Sunsil so I can show my girlfriend? She's told me that she's heard of Vulpix, but has never seen one before."

"I don't mind at all! I'm sure she'll fall in love with it almost instantly! Come on out Sunsil!" I then said as I called out Sunsil once again.

"It's so cute," Ken said as he was petting Sunsil.

"Sunsil, do you think you can hold still so Ken can get a picture of you? He wants to show his girlfriend to you."

I don't think Sunsil is very familiar with cameras. I mean, I've taken a few selfies with her, but to not have me there is different for her. At least she posed appropriately while looking adorable at the same time.

"Perfect!" Ken said after he took the picture.

"Can I see?" I asked.

Then the whole group gathered around us, basically wondering the same thing. "Oh sure," Ken said. "It's not like you all are giving me much of a choice."

"Oh Ken, don't be such a party pooper," Katie said. "Besides, I saw that smirk on your face."

"That was meant to be a joke."

"I know. I'm just pulling your leg."

"Argh. Ahem. Now, I think we've done enough stalling. Jill, for your incredible performance here at the Bristol Trial, here's your Tidal Medal."

"That's so cool!" I said. "Thank you so much Ken!" I took one last look at the medal before I put it away in my Medal Case.

"Oh, and here's a few more things," Ken said as he was handing me two Z-Crystals: The Waterium Z and a green-colored Z-Crystal.

"Wait, why do I get two?" I asked.

"Well, I felt like I owed you a little more for helping me suggesting an emotional support Pokémon," Ken explained. "Normally, I only give out the Waterium Z, but I also carry Grassium Zs in case. Besides, I think it's the perfect one for you and Bayleef."

"Aww, that's so generous of you."

"Umm, Ken, not trying to be rude, but we already have a Waterium Z with us," Ian interrupted.

"Oh?" Ken asked in surprise. "Bah, I'll still give it to you anyway. It never hurts to have extras."

"Point taken," Ian said.

Now that that's over with, let's make another perspective change, back to Ian. I'm sure you've had enough of my yacking for a chapter. Am I right?

"So Jill, you have any ideas of where you could go for your next Trial?" Ken asked Jill.

"I was thinking of heading to Manchester next," Jill answered. "I read that the Pokémon Movie City theater has a Trial there. Plus, it gives me an excuse to go to the movies next month."

"That's a good one," Ken said. "I'd say head there then. That one provides a good challenge actually. And I think it also lets you go behind the scenes of how a movie is shot as well if I'm not mistaken."

"Oh that sounds fun," I pointed out.

"For sure," Jill said.

"Now Ken, ready for us to sit down and chat to improve your Trial?" Katie asked. "I won't be long."

"No worries," Ken answered. "And thanks for helping."

"Anytime. You guys can go explore for a bit if you want."

"Hey, if I don't see you all 'till then, then make sure you have a good Thanksgiving!" Ken yelled. Right, it's November now. I almost forgot for like a second. Too many companies are already airing Christmas commercials already, and it's driving me insane.

"You as well Ken!" Jill yelled.

"Hey Jill, mind if I hold Sunsil for a bit?" I asked.

"I knew you were gonna ask that," Jill said as she was handing me the Shiny Vulpix. "Here you go."

"Come here you," I said as I was grabbing Sunsil.

"You seem quite attached to Vulpix Ian," Hannah pointed out.

"Have you been living under a rock?" I asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, umm, Hannah, he loves Vulpix to say the least," Sara asked.

"Sorry, it's just Ian and I haven't seen each other much for me to know that," Hannah said.

"Nice try," Jill said. "Every time we see you, Sara's also with you."

"All right, all right, I give," Hannah admitted. "I haven't been paying much attention to that."

"You had one job," Edwin said.

"Shut up!" Hannah snapped. "Besides Ian, have you ever considered catching a Vulpix of your own so you don't have to keep stealing Sunsil from Jill?"

"I've thought about it," I answered. "But I don't think a Kantonian Vulpix would be a good fit for my team since I already have a Fire Type. And I doubt Alolan Vulpix would do me any better, to my despair. It would be very nice to have one at the house, but I would have to be the one to raise it. Plus, Jill doesn't mind at all. She enjoys the fact that Sunsil and I get along so well."

"And I don't think it would be fair to keep Sunsil all to myself," Jill added. "It gives her a chance to spend some time with other people. Plus she always wants to snuggle with him whenever I sleep over at his house or he sleeps over at mine."

"Aww," Sara said. "Such a precious bean."

"Vul?" Sunsil got confused for a second and raised one of her paws, showing Sara her toebeans. Ok, that is so freaking adorable.

"Aww, not those kind of beans," Sara said as she approached Sunsil. "But those are really cute. I was just describing you as an adorable thing."

"Pix!" Sunsil then said as she booped Sara's nose.

"I've been booped!" Sara shouted as she caught Sunsil's boop.

"Sunsil, why are you so adorable?" I asked.

The gold fox gave perhaps the most adorable response. She even went as far as licking my chin. Maybe Hannah does have a point. I'll have to think about it a bit more.

"Aww," Jill said.

"Sunsil really knows how to be adorable," Elio pointed out.

As we continued to chat about Sunsil and Vulpix in general, Katie had wrapped up her conversation with Ken, and was ready to head out. Well, we didn't head home right away. We went to Lessard Lanes in Plainville instead so we can celebrate Jill completing her Trial. Not everyone chose to bowl or play mini-golf while we were there. Those that didn't did play a few of the arcade games they had there as well.

When we got home, Jill offered me to stay at her house for the rest of the day, and sleep over that night as well. Her mom wanted to treat us to dinner, and I really couldn't say no. Dakota really does cook very well.

After dinner, Jill and I went up to her room to watch a movie before heading to bed. Sunsil was already set for bed, as she rested in my lap the entire time. "Come along Sunsil," I called as I was laying down in my sleeping bag.

"Looks like she's getting tired," Jill pointed out.

"I can see that," I said.

"By the way, have you really thought about catching a Vulpix of your own?"

"I have. As much as I would love to have one of my own, I don't think either would be a good fit for my team. Plus, I would have to go the Alola region if I wanted to have an Alolan Vulpix."

"Well, did you forget that one of our own friends has an Alolan Vulpix?"

"Wait, Lillie. And Shiron."

"Exactly. Why don't you ask her if you could spend a day with Shiron and see if you actually want to raise one?"

"Why though?"

"It could give you a better idea of if you want to have it on your team or just have one as a pet Pokémon. My family is considering adopting an Eevee to have as a pet, and I think Vulpix would be perfect for you. Those are just things I picked up seeing how well you and Sunsil get along."

"..."

"You don't have to make up your mind right now. Just give yourself some time to think it through. But I personally think you should get one for the house at least. Even my mom thinks the same thing. It's okay if you don't want to though."

"I'll think about it some more. I'll have to talk to my dad about that as well."

"That's fine. Talk it through with your dad, and work from there. For now, we should probably get some sleep."

"Definitely."

"Good night."

"Sleep well."

"You too."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Well, Ian, we finally meet again!" Leo said.

"I know," I said. "It has been awhile."

"Now we finally get a chance to have our long overdue battle. Hope you've been keeping that Buizel of yours up to shape."

"That's what I was doing before you showed up. Didn't want it to fall behind with the rest of the team."

"Good. Then let's get started now, shall we?!" Leo then said as he tossed his Poké Ball, calling out a small black bird Pokémon. It even looked like it's got a witch's hat on its head.

"Well, what do we have here?" I said as I pulled out my Pokédex.

" _Murkrow: The Darkness Pokémon. A Dark and Flying Type_ ," The Pokédex read. " _Many people detest Murkrow due to it being known as a sign of bad luck. It has a strong liking toward shiny objects, and will do anything to get ahold of them._ "

"Very sinister," I said.

"Bui! Bui!" Buizel was repeating as it was throwing air punches.

"Hey, you'll get a turn soon," I said to Buizel as I rested a hand on its head.

"Bui…" Buizel said in disappointment.

"Don't worry," I said. "I promise. Just relax, okay?"

The weasel Pokémon nodded at me, and turned to the battlefield to watch. I get that it's itching to battle, but I don't think it would be a good idea to battle Murkrow. Plus I would like it to take a break from the training we had just did before Leo arrived.

"Then in that case, Luxio, you're up first!" I said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my first Pokémon.

"Ah, looks like your Shinx evolved," Leo complimented. "That's nice to see. Let's see what kind of surprises you can come up with for us."

"You want it, you got!" I said. "Luxio, use Spark!"

I've never seen a Murkrow in battle before, so I gotta watch carefully at what it does. Yes, I have the advantage, but Leo could have a few things up his sleeve that I don't know about, so I have to be careful.

"Perfect," Leo said to himself. "Murkrow, Payback."

I think I've heard of this move before. Spark did a pretty massive amount of damage to Murkrow, so I would assume Payback will do even more. And it looks like it did.

"Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark," I said.

"It's all in the name dude," Leo said. "You hit hard, we'll hit harder. Dead simple."

"Well, that escalated quickly. Luxio, use Charge then."

I don't know if Murkrow has any special attacks, so we might as well prepare ourselves for that possibility. Plus, if we can set ourselves up just enough, then we should be able to finish Murkrow with just one Spark instead of multiple.

"Murkrow, Assurance," Leo commanded.

"Dodge it!" I quickly said.

Considering how much that Payback did, I don't know if we can take another one of those kind of hits. At this point, might as well be cheap and set up for a nuke. Or so they say.

"Use Charge one more time," I said to Luxio.

We should be in good shape now. But if we don't knock out Murkrow with this double-charged Spark, then a Payback after that definitely will. I'm gonna have to hope for a crit to go along with it just for good measure, but that's a stretch.

"I think I know what he's doing," Leo said to himself. "Murkrow, use Assurance again."

This time, Murkrow did do some damage. I think he's going back and forth between that and Payback because whatever Murkrow's other moves are aren't very effective on Luxio. Regardless, we have to go for Spark now if we're gonna keep a distant lead.

"Put it into high-gear Luxio," I said to my Pokémon. "Nuke it with Spark!"

Super effective attack, boosted two times with Charge, yeah. This'll definitely be a knock-out. Don't know why I was worrying so much that this wouldn't finish it if even just one did as much damage as it did.

"Dammit," Leo said under his breath as he put Murkrow back in its Poké Ball. "Should've saw that coming. But I didn't."

"Eh, there's always next time," I said. "I just didn't wanna take a chance with Payback."

"I can tell. Cheap nuke, but still nice and powerful. Now I see why Jill enjoys battling you from time to time."

"I'm sure she's told you about all the training that we do together."

"She tells me basically everything. She really does care a lot for you, and vice versa." Argh, sometimes I wonder why I talk with him if he is trying to taunt me with Jill. Yeah, that wasn't a taunt, but he's going there.

"You're not wrong."

"Hehe. I would love to have this battle go for a bit longer, but this is gonna have to be my last Pokémon. Kirlia, I need your help!" Leo said as he threw his Poké Ball, calling out his next Pokémon.

"That looks cute," I complimented as I pulled out my Pokédex.

" _Kirlia: The Emotion Pokémon, and the evolved form of Ralts,_ " The Pokédex read. " _A Psychic and Fairy Type. Using its highly developed brain, Kirlia uses the horns on top of its head to strengthen its psychokinetic powers. In order for Kirlia to use that power, it requires exposure of its Trainer's cheerful spirits._ "

"Hmm," I was thinking to myself. "Luxio, you should take a rest for now."

Though this is definitely a quick battle, I wanna make sure that Buizel gets some time to battle, just like I promised. Plus, it gives Luxio a chance to catch its breath for now. Double win if you ask me.

"Buizel, you're up bud," I said as I lowered to my knee to look at Buizel.

Buizel was so excited to get onto the battlefield. It has such a desire for battling, that it enjoys things like even training. It would make me feel bad if I didn't let it battle at all during this battle.

"Well someone's excited," Leo pointed out.

"You're telling me," I responded.

"Now I'm curious to see how strong it is. Kirlia, Magical Leaf."

Going for a super effective move right away instead of setting up or something? That's gonna be concerning for Buizel, and if Kirlia is able to set up at all, then we could be in even bigger trouble.

"I see how it is," I said. "Buizel, use Water Gun."

As great as Buizel is, it doesn't have the best Special Attack, meaning that Water Gun won't be able to hit for very much. But I'm gonna have to do some experimenting with Buizel to see which moves do better. That way, it can help me get an idea of what kind of strategies I can come up with going forward.

"Use Calm Mind," Leo commanded his Pokémon.

Kirlia seemed so calm when using this move. When it did so, both of its Special stats got increased. Somehow. It is a Psychic-Type after all, so it's expected that they'll do crazy stuff like that. That doesn't make me any less confused however.

"That's very bad," I said. "Buizel, see how much Swift will do."

Just as I had feared, Swift didn't do a lot at all. It probably did just as much as Water Gun did before Kirlia used Calm Mind. Now I'm worried how much Magical Leaf will do now.

"Just as I had hoped," Leo said to himself. "Kirlia, use Draining Kiss."

That move did quite a bit, allowing Kirlia to get quite a bit of its health back. I'm still questioning as to how Draining Kiss does special damage even though it looks like it could be a physical attack.

"Oh, this isn't good at all," I said. "This went south very quickly."

"Seems your Buizel isn't very fit for fighting special attackers like my Kirlia," Leo said. "Why do you have two special attacks on a physical attacker like Buizel?"

"Those were the moves that it had when I caught it. There aren't a lot of moves that it can learn at the moment. And the physical attacks that it has right now aren't very powerful."

"So what? Even an Aqua Jet would most likely do more than a Water Gun from your Buizel."

"How could you be so sure about that?"

"I have my reasonings. What I do know is that I got you stumped real good right here. So Ian, what's your next move?"

Leo has me cornered. No matter what move I go for next, it won't be a KO. But whatever move comes from Kirlia _will_ be a KO. I'm tempted to switch back to Luxio, but if Luxio gets knocked out by Kirlia right now, then I'm screwed.

"Crap," I said to myself. "What do I even do?"

My Z-Ring started to glow, and Buizel looked back and nodded at me. We haven't done much Z-Move training at all since I caught Buizel, or even when I got the Waterium Z for that matter. However, using my Z-Move right here could make or break this round. It's a huge risk, but I think I'm gonna have to take it if I'm gonna let Buizel finish it off.

"You sure about this?" I asked Buizel. "We haven't done much training at all."

"Bui Bui!" Buizel firmly responded.

I looked down at my Z-Ring, then back at the sea weasel Pokémon. "Ok then," I said. "Then let's give it a shot." All or nothing now. Gonna have to cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I will say though, the pose for the Water-Type Z-Move is very awkward for a guy like me. This waving that I have to do with my arms is gonna take some getting used to for sure. And I thought I was gonna screw up the end part, but it looks like I didn't as the power was transmitting just fine.

"LET'S GO BUIZEL!" I shouted.

"Oh my," Leo said. "I gotta see this."

"Our strong bond shall be turned into the ultimate strength!" I said. "Use Hydro Vortex!"

So far, everything's going smooth. Buizel formed the whirlpool just fine, but things started to fall apart when it was about to launch it. The whirlpool collapsed, causing all of the water to fall right on top of Buizel, which made it fall to the ground.

"Buizel, no!" I said in shock.

"Oh!" Leo said. "Now's our chance Kirlia! Use Magical Leaf!"

Because Hydro Vortex failed, that left Buizel very vulnerable, which Leo clearly took advantage of. Kirlia's attack also landed as a crit, easily knocking out Buizel. I think that crit might not have mattered given that Kirlia has a boosted Special Attack after using Calm Mind prior.

"Buizel…" I said as I walked to it. "Sorry bud. I really thought we had it this time."

Buizel felt just as bad. I really did think that all the training we've been doing recently was enough to finally perfect the Water-Type Z-Move. I guess not then.

"Oh my," Leo said. "I don't think I've ever seen a failed Z-Move before. Guess it is possible that you can fail them."

"Yeah, sadly that is the case," I said. "I haven't had Buizel for very long; Got it around the time I was challenging the Westbrook Gym. It was only a couple weeks ago when we finally started training to perfect the Water-Type Z-Move. I guess we're gonna need even more time to practice it."

"That's rough dude. If it took you that long to start your training, then what took you so long?"

"Lots of things got in the way. Team Space, Gym Battles, watching Jill's Trials, school, and so on."

"Dude, you need to organize your time better. I get that you and Jill enjoy watching each other at your respective Challenges, but think about the potential time you're losing to raise your own Pokémon."

"I think I've been doing a pretty decent job at that."

"Well, seems you need to do more."

"At least you're not in school and I am. Trying to manage that and my Pokémon training at the same time is not as easy as you might think."

"Been there, done that. I really couldn't care about college after I graduated high school because I already knew what my future was gonna contain."

"If you say so."

"Are you doubting me?!"

"No, I believe you."

"Then what's with the sass, man?! Like, jeez!"

"Not meaning to be sassy. It's just you were starting to cop an attitude."

"Excuse me?! I'm starting to cop an attitude with you?!"

"Calm down Leo. You're getting worked up over nothing."

"You're calling this nothing?!"

"Listen, I wouldn't talk like this just to piss you off. But how would Jill feel if she saw you like this?"

"She's used to this. So leave her out of this!"

"What? She's used to you having this kind of temper? Man, if you are not going to fix that, then she won't wanna be with you."

"She's been helping me with personal problems for longer than you've been here!"

"Is that actually true, or are you just saying that just to defend yourself?"

"That is legit dude! And I'm not going to say a word about that because it's personal stuff!"

"That's very vague if you ask me."

"Look dude, we got a whole lot more time to argue about this, but in the middle of our battle isn't the proper time."

"Whoa. What's with you? It's like you go from trying to be supportive, to all fiery, then to this. Are these mood swings common for you?"

"Yeah, unfortunately. But I have been telling the truth the whole time."

I have my doubts here; I still feel suspicious about Leo. I don't wanna go behind his back, but I'll have to check with Jill to see how she feels about how they're doing at the moment.

"Alright," I said. "If you say that you're telling the truth, then we'll leave it at that."

"Why couldn't we just do that instead of arguing like that?" Leo asked.

"Well, someone wasn't calming down, so the other person had to try and help."

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"I heard you."

"Ugh. Let's just stop all of this, and finish the battle. Ok?"

"That I can agree with."

"Good. Then let's finish this Luxio," I said as I finally called out my other Pokémon. I don't try to argue with anyone, but if someone like Leo is being stubborn, then that's when I'll have to try and set things straight.

"If there's one thing about your Luxio that I'll never get tired of is seeing the sparkles as it comes out of its Poké Ball," Leo said. "Or for any Shiny Pokémon even. Where did you even find that Luxio?"

"I found it as a Shinx in my backyard," I answered. "But it was severely injured when I found it. Turns out Team Space was trying to catch it, but it managed to escape somehow."

"Hmm. Those guys, huh? I've got a few words to say to them."

"What was that?"

"It was nothing. Carry on."

"Alrighty then. Luxio, use Leer."

Luckily, Calm Mind won't get in the way with our physical attacks. That being said, if the damage Buizel took from Kirlia is anything to come by, then we can't pull any punches. Even if we had the Z-Crystals for Electric and Dark, we can't use them since I wasted it with Buizel.

"Kirlia, Psychic," Leo commanded.

Seems to me that Luxio does have better Special Defense than Buizel, as it took that hit a bit better. But it's hard to tell since Kirlia still has the boosted Special Attack. Well, we do have Charge for that… Wait. That could be the thing that can help us right now.

"Quick Luxio, use Charge!" I said.

"Oh I see where this is going," Leo said. "Kirlia, Calm Mind!"

Crap. If we keep using Charge, then he'll keep using Calm Mind. Enough to finish Luxio with one hit. I probably should've gone for another Leer then use Charge. Can't go back now. Gotta hope for the best.

"Shoot," I said. "He figured us out. Gotta go for it then. Luxio, use Spark!"

With one Leer and a Charge, this should be enough. It doesn't look like it's got a lot of physical Defense to me. I basically turned into a broken record at this point.

Somehow, that Spark did enough. All the bickering that Leo and I did led up to the battle ending in one hit. Kinda funny actually.

"Well, that was a way to end a battle," Leo said as he walked to Kirlia. "You got good stuff man."

"You do as well," I responded. "Though I do need some more training with Buizel."

"I'm sure it'll turn out fine very soon. Z-Moves are basically a giant nuke button for your Pokémon, but I'm sure you know that already. It's very tempting to use it right away, but you gotta take the time to actually know how to use it properly. Seems to me that you were pressured and resorted to using yours right away."

"How did you figure that out?"

"Like I've said man, I've been a Trainer for longer than you have. It's just things that I noticed throughout our battle."

"Interesting."

"Anyway, you and Jill getting along well?"

"Yeah. We've been hanging out basically every day."

"I see. Well, I gotta take off."

"See you around."

"Same to you. Also, one more thing. I know you like Jill. You can still be her best friend. But when it comes to winning her heart, ain't gonna happen any time soon. As long as I'm around." Then he took off. I didn't wanna say anything out loud until he was actually out of sight.

"Ooh, the fucking nerve of him!" I shouted out loud. "Can't believe that he said that right in front of my face. Doesn't he see that I'm aware of their relationship?! UGH."

I felt Luxio put its paw on my knee, seeing if I was ok. I really shouldn't be letting out my anger like that in public. "I'm ok Luxio," I said to my Pokémon as I was petting it. "I just needed to get that off my chest. That's all."

First thing I need to do now: Stop at the Pokémon Center. Then I might go for a walk after that. I just need to do something to take my mind off of Leo and failing my Z-Move. I might be called crazy for going for a walk in the beginning of November, but I don't feel that cold yet. Plus, going for a drive isn't as relaxing as going for a walk for me.

I started to make my way toward the fairgrounds, but there was a street before the bottom of the hill, and I don't think I've been to that part of town just yet. That kinda put me in the mood to do some exploring for a while. As I made my way through, I passed by a boat shop? Portland really has one of those? Granted, Sunyshore has one since it's right on the coast, but that is odd for a town in central Connecticut.

Past the boat shop, and it was just another neighborhood. Until I reached the bottom of this hill coming up. There was a metal gate at the end of the road, blocking my way. But I was able to get a view of what the place looked like.

"What is this place?" I asked myself. Then I looked down to see if there were any signs, and indeed there was. "Oh, this is the picnic ground that Mike was telling me about. A bit smaller than I thought it was gonna be." I also saw there was a body of water right behind the property, which happened to be the Connecticut River. Right, the river flows through town. That would explain the boat shop back there, and the marina that is further closer to the fairgrounds.

"Well, seems I can't go any farther than this," I said to myself. "Let's see what else is here." As I was making my way back up, I saw a little passageway that caught my eye. "Where does this lead to?" Little did I know that it would lead to a tiny beach. "Huh. Random beach." Then I looked to my side, and see a sewage pipe that leads into the river. "Clearly this is not meant for the public to swim in." I was taking a few steps forward to get a better view, and my foot hit something rather hard. "What was that?!"

Seems whatever I hit was covered by the sand. When I brushed the sand away, I found this very large red-colored gem. Then the gem started to glow very brightly as I picked it up. "What is this thing?" I asked myself. Then I saw a clear reflection of myself that was transitioning into something else before I heard someone behind me.

"Hey, how did you find that thing before us?!" Someone familiar asked.

"Huh?" I asked as I turned around. "Team Space again? Sigh. When are you guys gonna stop following me?"

"And when will you stop getting in our way?!" The female Grunt asked.

"I'd be lying if I told you that I'm not meaning to," I answered.

"Yeah, right," The third Grunt said.

"So hand over that Red Gem now!" The first Grunt demanded.

"You really think I'm just gonna hand you something like that?" I said. "Make me."

"You asked for it!" All three of them said at once.

They weren't such a big deal at all. But they wouldn't leave after I defeated them. They were extra desperate this time around, which is unusual. They really want this gem badly.

"You have beaten us in battle, but that doesn't mean that we're leaving without that gem!" The first Grunt said as he launched at me.

"Whoa!" I shouted as I moved out of his way. "Easy there! You don't wanna get hurt, do you?"

"It doesn't matter as long as long as we get what we came for!" The female Grunt said. "So give it!"

They were really getting physical now. This isn't a Pokémon battle anymore, this has turned into a physical fight. I don't wanna get any of my Pokémon involved as they would get hurt as well.

"This isn't the same Team Space that I know," I said as I was avoiding all three Grunts.

"That's because the Red Gem is crucial to our plans!" The third Grunt said. "You just don't get it!"

"Don't tell him that!" The female Grunt said as she smacked him.

"Well, he already did," I pointed out. "Even if you are right about me not getting it, I still won't hand it over. You guys really can't be trusted with anything."

"That's what you think!" The first Grunt said.

I quickly moved to my left just before he got me, but it seems he anticipated that, as he moved right, managing to get ahold of me.

"Got him!" He said.

"Good!" The third Grunt said.

"I'll take it from him!" The female Grunt said.

"No way, I'm getting it!"

"No, me!"

"Can you two stop and help me?!" The first Grunt snapped. "I'm having a hard time holding onto him!"

I had to get out somehow. I really don't wanna get held into a chokehold. Since he was holding me from behind, I kicked him from behind, right in the special place. That managed to let me get out of his grasp.

"Ok, now you've done it!" The Grunt said as he charged at me.

All three of them were coming at me at once, leaving me very little room to escape. "Oh boy," I said to myself. "Wait, I've got it." Since I still had the gem in my arms, I swung it around to strike all three of them. That sent them all to the ground.

"Too bad the thing you're after is the thing that sent you down!" I said as I started to make a run for it.

"Oh no you don't!" The female Grunt said as she took after me. Then the other two took off shortly after.

She launched herself, bringing me to the ground. The tackle wasn't that hard, but I felt the gem digging into my stomach pretty deeply as it got angled as I was falling. "I got him!" She shouted.

"Get off me!" I said as I tried to fight back. I have no choice; I need help. These guys are not letting up. I rolled onto my back, and gave her an elbow blow so I can get up. Then I called out Monferno.

"You really think bringing out your Pokémon is gonna help you?" The first Grunt asked.

"Say all you want," I said. "I'm not letting you get your dirty hands on this gem."

"Then let's get him all at once!" The third Grunt said. As all three of them charged at me, I jumped onto the gate, then jumped over them.

"How the?!" The first Grunt asked. "Now that's just cheating!"

"I beg your pardon," I responded. "Says the group that's using physical force to get something out of my possession."

"Ugh, now you're getting on our nerves," The female Grunt said.

"Good," I said.

"Take care of the Monferno," The first Grunt said. "I'll handle him."

"Come and get it," I said.

"If you insist," The third Grunt said.

Monferno managed to fight them off pretty well, except the first Grunt. "Why can't you just behave and hand that damn gem over?!" The Grunt demanded. "Give me a hand you two!"

Both Grunts came in assistance, managing to snatch the gem out of my hands. "Heh, got it," The Grunt said. "As for you." He then gave me a hard kick, sending me rolling on the ground. "Team, we're out of here. Mission accomplished."

As they were about to leave, I got back up and took after them. "No you don't!" I said as I was trying to catch up. I launched myself to try and catch the Grunt, but I came up just short, causing me to slide on the ground. "Shit. Monferno, catch them!"

Not even Monferno could catch with them. By the time it caught up to them, they had already taken off. They were gone. With the gem I tried to protect. As they were taking off, I felt like I was having a vision. There was a silhouette of a Pokémon in this vision, and it almost seemed it was trying to talk to me. "Hurry," It said. "You've got to get it back. I need your help..." Then the vision stopped. Who or what was that? It didn't look like any sort of Pokémon that I recognize.

"Holy crap," I said as I slowly got back up. "What just happened?"

"Ferno?" Monferno asked as it walked back to me.

"I'm ok Monferno," I said. "Thanks." But then I felt very sharp pain from my stomach as I tried to stand up straight. "Ack! What in the?!" I grasped onto my stomach quickly, and when I took my hand off, I had a bit of blood on my hand. "Oh no, don't tell me…" I unzipped my coat, and there was a deeper blood stain on my sweatshirt. I then unzipped that, and lifted my shirt, revealing a deep and big stab wound on my stomach. "Oh, this isn't good. Monferno, can you check inside of that building and see if there are any paper towels? I'll get ahold of Jill while I get myself a seat."

I had to call Jill. Texting her won't do me any good, and delay me getting any help.

" _What's up Ian_?" Jill asked as she picked up the phone.

"Hey, you home?" I asked.

" _Yeah, what's wrong_?"

"You know where the picnic grounds is, right?"

" _Yeah. You need me there_?"

"I, uh, kinda need you right now. I had a little encounter with Team Space, and they were…" I suddenly passed out before I could even finish my sentence.

" _Ian? Ian? You ok? Ian? Ian?! …_ "

When I woke up, I found myself in a completely different area, with a bunch of people surrounding me. I felt a little loopy when I woke up, but nice and warm at the same time.

"Oh Ian, you're awake!" Jill said. "Thank goodness."

"You alright now?" Sara asked.

"You had us worried," Lillie said.

"Everyone, I understand you were concerned," Someone else said. "But give him time to regain himself. How do you feel Ian?"

"Huh?" I asked. "Where am I?"

"At the hospital," Jill answered. "You were passed out when we got to you."

"And you lost a pretty decent amount of blood," Hannah added.

"Monferno was trying what it could to make sure you didn't lose anymore," Lillie said.

"Oh, where is Monferno?!" I suddenly asked as I launched myself up, but feeling sharp pain in my arm quickly after.

"Take it easy," Jill said. "You've got an IV in you. Monferno is right here."

"Monferno!" My partner said.

"Oh, phew," I said as I laid back in my hospital bed.

"That was a pretty bad wound you had," Sara said. "What happened to you?"

Before I could even speak, we heard a knock on the door. The doctor stepped out to see who it was, and it was Mike and Katie. They talked for a second before all three of them stepped into the room.

"Hey there bud," Mike said as he and Katie stepped inside. "You doing okay?"

"We heard what happened," Katie said. "Sorry we couldn't come sooner."

"I was just about to explain what happened before you two showed up," I said. "But I'm doing decent. Where's my dad?"

"He'll be here shortly," Dakota said. "He was heading out from work last time I heard from him."

"Good," I said. "Wait, how did you get ahold of my dad's number?"

"Your phone was still unlocked when we got there, so my mom dialed your dad with your phone," Jill answered.

"Ah," I said.

"Anyway, you were about to talk about how you fell unconscious?" Dakota said.

"Actually, why don't we worry about that later, and let Ian rest for a while?" The doctor suggested.

"I like that idea," I said.

We continued to chat until Dad finally showed up. It does kinda bother me that he didn't come any sooner considering that it was his son that got badly injured. Unless he got stuck in traffic or something, but I don't wanna make a fuss over something like that.

"Hey there son," Dad said as he entered the room. "You feeling ok now?"

"I've been better," I answered.

"Sorry that I couldn't come earlier. Work was being a pain. So much in fact that I straight up told them that you had a very bad injury and needed to be sent to the hospital."

"Eh. As long as I got help at all, that's all that really counts."

"Yeah, you're right. And I do wanna thank you all for being there for Ian when I couldn't."

"It was no problem Cole," Dakota said. "We've got your back when you're not home."

"We're all one big family really," Sara added.

Dad had such a warm smile on his face that he couldn't put down. I can easily tell that he feels possibly the happiest and safest he's been since we've moved. "It's been a long time since I've seen my son having these kind of friends by his side," He said. "It makes me feel safe as a father to know that. So Ian, why don't you rest here for a little longer, then we can head back?"

"Sounds like a plan," I answered. Then I felt Sunsil jump onto the bed and gave me nuzzles, then Shiron joined shortly after.

"Aww, they both love you!" Sara pointed out.

"They're definitely adorable," Dad said. "Which one is yours, Jill?"

"The gold one," Jill answered. "That's my Shiny Kantonian Vulpix Sunsil. I don't think you've met her yet."

"I have not. May I hold her?"

"Of course! You okay with that as well, Sunsil?"

"Vul!" Sunsil answered happily.

"Come here," Dad said as he picked up the Shiny Vulpix. "She's so soft. Then who's Alolan Vulpix is that?"

"That would be mine," Lillie answered.

"Yours is just as cute," Dad complimented. "Now I see why Ian has such an obsession over both of them.

"Dad, please don't tease me," I said as I blushed.

"Anyway, Ian, how about we discuss what happened to you tomorrow, and spend the rest of the day relaxing?" Mike offered after he chucked. "I'll gather a few people in case we get new information in regards to Team Space."

"Sounds good to me," I said.

"Team Space?" Dad asked. "Who are those people? And why do they sound familiar?"

"Long story short, they're a group of people that are capturing Pokémon and modifying them against their will for some sort of evil plan," I said. "Why don't you stick around for the discussion tomorrow?"

"I agree with him," Jill added. "It's better if you know what's happening as well."

"Well, it doesn't look like I have much of a choice," Dad said sarcastically. "But I was planning on staying home with you tomorrow Ian to make sure you're good enough to be on your own."

"That's fine," I said.

It's been about an hour and a half, and I was able to be released from the hospital. While it did take me a minute or two to regain my footing, I was able to walk out with little to no worries. Though I was told to get some rest at home, which does mean no school for me for the week.

Jill decided to hang out at my house for the rest of the night before she head back to her house. I talked to Dad about my progress in my Pokémon training, and he's impressed. He even told me that once the Pokémon League comes and goes, or maybe even before then, we can have a battle together. That got me excited, 'cause Dad used to be a hardcore battler before he and Mom had me. His hard work even generated a little media attention for him at one point, which is amazing. He even got through half of the Sinnoh Elite Four before losing to Flint, the third member, and that's no small feat.

About a half an hour after Jill left, I went to bed, and crashed shortly after that. Given that I have a pretty deep wound on my stomach, I slept pretty good given the conditions. But I was pretty slow to get up, a bit slower than normal.

"There he is," Mike said as he saw me coming upstairs into the kitchen. "Morning bud."

"Hey," I said as I stretched.

"Slept good?" Dad asked. "You were out cold when I checked on you last night."

"I slept decently," I said. Before I grabbed breakfast, I checked to see who was here, and there was a slightly larger crowd than who was with me at the hospital yesterday. Elio, Selene, Ash, Dawn, Sara, Hannah, Lillie, Mike, and Katie were here.

"Jeez Mike, did you invite the entire town?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well, if what happened to you involved Team Space, then we're gonna need a larger number of people to pass any additional information to," Mike explained.

"He does have a point, Ian," Katie added.

"Plus, this is my first time really knowing about this group, so I'd appreciate it if there were more people to tell me," Dad said. "'Cause if this group is gonna pose any sort threat on the scale that Team Galactic tried to do, then I want to get involved on this as well."

"All right, all right, I get it," I said.

"So, you wanna eat first then talk, or do you wanna talk while you eat?" Mike asked.

"I think we should let him eat first," Dad answered for me. "He's gonna need some energy before he starts his day."

"Fair enough," Mike said. "Besides, I don't think we've talked about you and school since you guys moved. Enjoying Portland?"

"It's not bad," I answered. "Better than what I experienced back in Sunyshore."

"Ian, I don't wanna be rude, but you keep mentioning your experiences back in Sinnoh, but never talked about them extensively," Jill said.

"We'll talk about that another time Jill," I said. "That's not relevant to the conversation we're about to have."

It didn't take me that long to eat my cereal. I didn't wanna keep everyone waiting after all. Plus Mike and Katie could know a few things about this "Red Gem" that Team Space took from me yesterday.

"So, let's recap what happened to you yesterday," Mike suggested. "Just so that you can give rest of us the rundown of what happened to you."

"I was actually gonna start there," I said.

"Welp," Mike said. "Great minds think alike I guess."

"Mood," Sara said.

"Joking aside," I said after I laughed a bit. "It all really started after I had a Pokémon battle with Leo yesterday. During that battle, I had Buizel out against Leo's Kirlia, and tried to use the Water-Type Z-Move, but couldn't keep it together. However, I did turn out victorious from that battle, but Leo did taunt me a little bit afterward."

"What did he say that would be taunting to you?" Jill asked.

"I, I don't wanna talk about that either," I answered.

"Ian, you holding in all of this is not good for you," Hannah said.

"You need to let it out eventually instead of keeping it all contained," Jill added. "But I'll talk to him for you if you want me to."

"I'd appreciate that," I said. "Thanks. Moving on, after I stopped at the Pokémon Center to let my Pokémon rest, I decided to go on a walk since I was in the mood for some exploring. That, and I wanted to clear my mind of what happened between Leo and I. So, I was coming upon the back end of Main Street, toward the fairgrounds, where there was a secluded other road that I didn't notice. I decided to see what was down there, which eventually led me to the picnic grounds. Since the gate was locked, I couldn't go any further, so I turned back after getting a glimpse of the place. But as I was heading back, I saw that there was a path that lead to a little beach with a sewage pipe leading into the river."

"Mike, isn't that..?" Katie asked.

"Yeah, that's the area that leads to Icicle Pillar," Mike answered.

"Icicle Pillar?" Elio and I asked at the same time.

"What's that?" Jill asked.

"It's a hidden cavern residing underneath the Connecticut River," Mike started. "It was the place that we faced off against Team Frost once and for all."

"It was also the place that contained the Frozen Armor, which Mike and Snowkey used to defeat the Shadow Pokémon a few months later," Katie added.

"But we're getting off topic," Mike said. "Carry on."

"Thanks," I said. "So, I was about to get a view of the river when I stubbed my toe on something buried in the sand. When I brushed the sand away, there was this massive red-colored gem in the sand, and it glowed when I picked it up. I also saw my reflection very clearly, and it was about to transition into something else before Team Space showed up. There were only three of them mind you."

"No Admins or anything like that?" Jill asked.

"Admins?" Dad asked.

"They're the next step up from Grunts," Mike answered. "They have command of most missions judging on what we learned from the Commanders of Team Frost."

"I see," Dad said. "So it's basically the same general position that Team Galactic had."

"You can put it like that," Dawn said. "You did mention Team Galactic a few times though. Have you fought anyone from them when they were still around?"

"No, but I was being extra cautious and training my team extensively if they dared to come into Sunyshore," Dad answered.

"I see," Dawn said.

"Anyway, but there were no Grunts with this encounter yesterday," I continued. "Even though I defeated them all in a Pokémon battle, they wouldn't quit at all. They eventually got physical to force it out of my hands. I was trying to make sure that I didn't get any of my Pokémon involved, but I was forced to during the fight. At one point, they had me surrounded, so I decided to swing the gem around to strike them, and I started to make a run for it when all three of them fell to the ground."

"Then what happened?" Selene asked. "Did one of them, like, tackle you to the ground or something?"

"Yes actually," I answered. "The only female Grunt that was with this group was the one that brought me to the ground. During my fall though, I felt the gem digging into my stomach, and eventually they managed to get it out of my hands, then took off immediately after that. I tried to catch up to them, and I even lept for them, but just missed them by a hair, causing me to slide on the ground, giving me the scrapes that I have on my face."

"I see," Mike said. "So, I'm assuming you sat down somewhere to see what happened to yourself?"

"Yeah," I said. "After I got back up from my failed jump, I felt extremely sharp pain coming from my stomach, and I saw that I had blood on my hand, which came from my coat. When I sat down at one of the picnic tables, I asked Monferno to find me some paper towels while I tried to call Jill."

"And you passed out while you were still on the phone with me," Jill said.

"Exactly," I said.

"The fact that you remember all of that is astonishing," Sara said.

"But it's also the most puzzling part of this," Hannah said. "How could that gem have even stabbed you if you had your coat and sweatshirt on?"

"I was about to ask the same thing Hannah," Mike added.

"Well, it did rotate from the force of the impact as I was falling," I said.

"So, it's possible that you lost control of the gem when the Grunt tackled you," Dad said. "Which, as a result, could've made it slide down, and make contact with your stomach when you and the gem hit the ground. Jill, can you go get me Ian's stuff? They're in my room."

"Sure," Jill said as she went into Dad's bedroom.

"Ian, just to let you know, I didn't wash any of them yesterday so that we can have a closer look at the blood stains to see if we're correct on this," Dad explained to me.

"That's fine," I said.

When Jill came back, the stains on my clothes were worse than I thought they were when I first saw them. Most of the blood that I had lost yesterday accumulated onto my clothes, which leaked onto my sweatshirt and even my coat. It's gonna be at least two or three washes to remove the stain from my regular shirt completely.

"Take a look at the zipper on Ian's coat," Dad said as he held up my coat. "See how's there's no damage to it whatsoever?"

"Same for the zipper on his sweatshirt," Jill said. "Though there's more of a blood stain on this than his coat. "But the greatest stain is on his regular shirt, where it's from where the wound was and all the way down. I'm honestly surprised that the blood didn't get onto your pants Ian. That's not as rude as it sounds."

"You don't wanna know what I was thinking right there," Sara said as she was trying to contain her laughter.

"Sara!" Katie said. "Sigh. I was afraid you were gonna do that."

"Come on, you know me!" Sara said. "I have such a dirty mind!"

"Ditto," Hannah added.

"Was that a pun?" Mike asked.

"It wasn't meant to be," Hannah answered.

"Anyway," Dad said.

"Sorry Unc," Mike said.

"It's fine," Dad said. "Getting back to the topic at hand, this basically confirms that Ian was losing control of the gem when he got tackled, which resulted into him getting stabbed."

"That would make sense," I said. "'Cause I didn't feel it slipping out of my arms at all during all of that."

"That's strange," Lillie said. "Maybe you regained control when you two hit the ground, which would explain how none of your clothes got ripped at all. Somehow."

"Now that we have that figured out, were the Grunts referring the gem to anything special?" Katie asked.

"Yes," I said. "They were all calling it the 'Red Gem' multiple times during all of this."

"'Red Gem?'" Mike asked. "Can you give a description of what it looked like?"

"Can someone get me a pen and paper actually?" I asked. "'Cause I don't think I'll be able to explain it very well."

"Fair enough," Mike said as he got me a pen and paper.

"You make yourself feel like an idiot when trying to explain stuff as well Ian?" Ash asked.

"Yep," I answered. "You as well?"

"There have been one too many instances of such saying," Dawn said.

"That's an odd way of putting it," Ash said.

"Well, you have so much energy that it's hard to keep you settled in one place," Lillie said. "Especially with your appetite and Pokémon training."

"Yeah, you do have a point about that," Ash said.

"I can relate to you so much about food as well Ash," Sara said. "We could probably do an eating contest together!"

"That sounds like a terrible idea," Hannah said. "You two would probably get sick afterward."

"Yeah, remember that one time Brock gave you horrible-tasting medicine just to get you and Pikachu moving again?" Dawn asked. "You two were up and booking it almost immediately. It was so funny to see!"

"Yeah, yeah, no need to remind me about that," Ash said as he blushed.

"Pika," Ash's Pikachu said in the same tone.

"By the way Mike, whatever happened to your Pikachu?" Dawn asked. "How come we never get to see it anymore?"

"Well, I've got news about Sparky, but I'll discuss that at a later date," Mike answered. "And it's very exciting news to say the least."

All of that talking gave me enough time to finish my sketch of the Red Gem. It's shaped like someone took a rectangle, added multiple dimensions to it, and added to additional sides to the corners, making it a hexagonal shape.

"Done," I said, turning the paper over.

"Oh, good timing," Mike said as he took the paper and put it in the center of the table. "That can't be. They're really after this?"

"You know about this?" I asked.

"Yeah," Mike answered.

"Let me see," Dawn said as she was taking a closer look herself. "I recognize this as well. I even heard about it."

"Where exactly?" Mike asked. "I'm intrigued."

"It was shortly after my mom moved back to Twinleaf Town," Dawn started. "So I decided to take a few days to go visit her and see my hometown again, and take a wild guess who was visiting at the same time?"

"Palmer?" Ash asked.

"Nope," Dawn said. "Though that is a good guess."

"Is it Cynthia?!" Sara immediately asked.

"Yep," Dawn answered.

"Lucky," Sara said. "I wanna meet her so bad. She's just so hot and badass. Ack."

"I can arrange something for you to meet her if you want me to," Mike offered. "As long as she's not busy that is."

"YES," Sara immediately said with much excitement.

"Ok, ok, settle down," Mike said. "I can invite the rest of you to come along as well if I really wanted to. She and I are Champions after all."

"We might take you up on that Mike," Dad said. "It would be nice to take a trip back to Sinnoh some time."

"Right, I keep forgetting about that," Elio said. "No offense."

"None taken Elio," I said. "But we interrupted Dawn."

"No need to worry Ian," Dawn said. "This is giving you an opportunity to reminisce. Besides, I can show you Twinleaf Town and Lake Verity as well."

"That is true," I said. "But anyway, why did Cynthia visit your house?"

"She actually had never met my mom before even though she's known me for quite a bit," Dawn continued. "Apparently Mom told Cynthia that I was visiting for a few days, so she invited her over to catch up on things and introduce each other. Cynthia also wanted to notify me about her recent discovery about the Red Gem when she was out studying."

"Studying what?" Jill asked.

"Cynthia loves to study mythology and history surrounding the Sinnoh region," Dad explained. "She also likes to explore anything connected to the Legendary Pokémon of Sinnoh."

"How do you know that?" Dawn asked. "Have you met her at all?"

"Yeah, actually," Dad answered. "I met her at a meet and greet at a Sunyshore convention one time, back when Ian was just a little kid. My wife also got to meet her as well."

"I'm not jealous at all," Sara said quietly.

"Easy now Sara," Hannah said. "You'll get to meet her someday."

"Imagine just being in a battle with her!" Sara said. "I'm already imagining getting obliterated by her Garchomp! That thing is a freaking monster!"

"It is true that her Garchomp was the very Pokémon that got her the amount of fame that she has now," Dad said. "Even an experienced Trainer like myself probably wouldn't even stand a chance."

"Your Garchomp could put on a good fight Mike," Katie said.

"Are you kidding?" Mike asked. "Cynthia's Garchomp would destroy mine! Remember that one time I got invited to battle her at Holiday Island?!"

"That doesn't really count," Katie said. "Anyway, carry on Dawn."

"Thank you," Dawn continued. "During her visit, Cynthia was telling me about the Red Gem, and the fact that there are three of them. All three of them seem to have a connection with a certain trio of Legendary Pokémon in Sinnoh.

"The Lake Guardians?" I asked. "Azelf, Mespirit, and Uxie?"

"Exactly," Dawn answered.

"Then the motive behind Team Space getting the Red Gems are clear: They want to get their hands on the Lake Guardians for their plans," Mike said.

"And use them to summon Dialga and/or Palkia at the Spear Pillar on top of Mt. Coronet in Sinnoh!" I added.

"You're right Ian," Mike said. "While that doesn't explain why they're modifying so many Pokémon, we may have indeed figured out their true plan. One that could result in nothing short of catastrophe for all of us."

"But then comes another question: Where are the other two Red Gems?" Jill asked. "They could be anywhere."

"You're right about that Jill," Katie said. "And now we know that Team Space is using excessive force to endlessly search for them. We have to shift our goals to find the remaining two Red Gems before they do."

"What do the Red Gems do anyway?" Selene asked.

"They're used to summon a member of the Lake Guardians, who are responsible for creating the New Red Chain when all three are brought together," Dad explained.

"The first Red Chain was used by Team Galactic, which granted them to summon Dialga and Palkia at the Spear Pillar, and even have full control of them," Dawn added.

"If that's what Team Space is intending to do, then we'll have to whatever it takes to make sure that it doesn't happen," Elio said.

"Spot on," Mike said. "Ian, did anything peculiar happen to you when Team Space took off with that Red Gem by the way?"

"Yeah, actually!" I answered. "When they were leaving, I had a vision of the Legendary Pokémon connected to that Red Gem!"

"You're kidding?!" Ash said.

"I'm not," I said. "All that was happening was the Pokémon constantly pleading for my help. But I had a hard time recognizing what the Pokémon was."

"Here, have a look for yourself," Dawn said as she handed me her Pokédex.

"Thanks Dawn," I said as I took her Pokédex. Luckily, she had the entries for those Pokémon already loaded. I was more interested into what the Pokémon in my vision looked like. First was Mespirit, which definitely didn't look like the Pokémon in my vision. Next came Uxie, which was basically the same story. But then came Azelf, and it looked very familiar. I think this was the very Pokémon connected to that Red Gem. "I think this is it. I think I saw Azelf."

"So, if Azelf is starting to plea for your help now, then there's a very high chance that Mespirit and Uxie are doing the same thing as well," Ash said.

"You could be right Ash," Mike said. "We need to find those Red Gems fast, and find who are the remaining two people Mespirit and Uxie are pleading to respectively. Ian, Jill, I want you two to notify Professor Fir about this as well."

"What are you going to do in the meantime Mike?" Katie asked.

"I'm gonna call an old ally of ours for help," Mike answered. "And even a once-foe-now-friend. Let's get moving everyone! We got lots of work to do!"

"This is Admin L," I started. "I got lots of info. As suspected, our adversaries has solved the puzzle."

"I was afraid that would happen," An older woman said on the other end of my communicator. "But we do not need to worry about this right now. For the time being, report back to HQ, and prepare for the next step."

"Roger," I said then hung up. As I was getting ready to leave, I looked back at the house that the people that I've come to know where in. "I'm sorry. Everyone. But it has to be done." Then I took off, managing to not be noticed.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Even though it's been about a week or two since Team Space attacked me, I was already doing well enough to finish my training for my third Gym Battle. But after learning about the Red Gems, I decided to look more into it and see if there was anything that we missed during our discussion. This also gave me an opportunity to learn more about Azelf, as something's telling me that I'll be meeting it in the near future.

While I was on my computer, I heard my phone ringing on my desk. Turns out it was Mike calling. "What's up?" I said as I answered the phone.

" _Not much_ ," Mike answered. " _You?_ "

"Doing ok actually. Just doing a bit of research before I head out for my Gym Battle."

" _That's good. Hey, uh, I don't want you to get mad at me, but I'm not gonna be able to come see you battle today._ "

"How come?"

" _I have some stuff to do here at home, so I asked Katie to go in my place._ "

"Some Champion duties?"

" _You can call it that. But I did wanna call and wish you good luck as well. Where're you heading for this battle?_ "

"Berlin I think."

" _Oh that's a good one. The Gym Leader over there is awesome._ "

"You battled at that one as well?"

" _Yep. She's probably gonna be salty to know that Katie's visiting and I'm not. I mean, it's been, like, what, almost a year to two years since we last saw each other._ "

"I guess being Champion really does keep you busy."

" _It certainly does, I'll tell you that. Anyway, I gotta skedaddle. You should probably get ready yourself, as your friends could very well be at your house as we speak._ "

"Right, I almost forgot."

" _Haha, that's what I'm here for!_ "

"Yeah, yeah, I get it."

" _Anyway, good luck bud. Let me know how it goes._ "

"Will do." Then we both hung up. Stop me if you've heard this before, but the way Mike and I get along has had some people think that we're brothers. Obviously we're not brothers, but it's really that even though we're cousins (And had our mini reunion at the high school to catch up), we still wanna try and see each other as often as possible. I'm sure anyone reading this also feels the same way about their siblings/cousins as well.

Well, what do you know? Mike was right, again. Everyone else that I had invited, being Jill, Elio, Selene, Sara, Hannah, and Edwin were all here already. The Gym is located at the Berlin Fun Zone, which was apparently formerly known as just Berlin Batting Cages before the Gym was added. I doubt any of the attractions over there will be open since it's pretty cold now, but it doesn't hurt to hope.

"There you are," Katie said as she saw me entering the kitchen.

"Did you oversleep or something?" Jill asked.

"No, I was on the phone with Mike," I answered.

"Ah," Katie said. "I'm assuming he told you that he couldn't come today?"

"Yep," I said.

"So, we're going back to Berlin," Katie said to herself. "I really need to catch up with the Gym Leader. She actually used to run one of the Showdowns as well."

"Yikes," I said.

"That must've been a lot of work for one person," Jill said.

"Somehow she managed it," Katie said. "But she still managed to put on a good challenge for both of them before I got in."

"Interesting," I said. "Why is she no longer running the Showdown?"

"One person can only do so much for his/her job Ian," Katie answered. "So she decided to close it, but she wanted to keep the Gym open."

"I see," I said.

"Well, do you need to do anything else before we head out, Ian?" Jill asked.

"Uh, I need breakfast first and foremost," I snapped.

"FOOD," Sara shouted.

"Ok, Sara, we get it," Hannah said.

"I don't think this is a side of you I've seen yet Sara," I pointed out.

"How could you not have noticed?!" Sara asked in surprise. "I devour food day in and day out."

"Noted," I said. "Can I get anyone anything before I serve myself?"

"We're all good Ian," Katie answered. "You focus on getting yourself ready."

"Got it," I said. "By the way, whose car are we gonna take out of curiosity?"

"We can take mine," Katie said. "I recently got a new SUV, and really wanted to use it for this trip."

"Look at you and your fancy car," Sara teased.

"Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" Katie asked.

"I'm just kidding," Sara responded.

"Sure, ok then," I said with deep concern.

Once I finished what I had to get done, we finally left the house, and made our way to the Berlin Fun Zone. It was pretty easy to tell where the Gym was since the building for it was the largest one on the property, which is kinda funny.

"So that's it, huh?" I said as I looked out the window.

"It sure is," Katie answered as she parked her car. "It sure has been awhile since I last came here."

Since it was in the middle of November, it was pretty obvious why the place was so deserted today. Not too many people are willing to come out to play mini golf or ride go-karts in this weather. Come to think of it, that would be a unique experience…

"Kind of a tiny place," I said as I got out of the car.

"It's like that for a lot of these kind of places around here," Jill told me. "But they're pretty fun for what they have."

"What she said," Katie said. "Sara, I'm sure you and Hannah remember this, but the Showdown that was once here was actually held on the go-kart track."

"Wait, how?" I asked. "And why?"

"It was literally a race," Sara answered. "I don't remember if you even had to battle during this at all."

"I didn't when I was here," Katie said. "It was kind of a one-sided race, and people would be confused as to why they would have to go into the Gym just to battle during their Showdown. So when I became Top Conqueror, we agreed that this Showdown would close, and only keep the Gym."

"Katie?" Someone from the go-kart track asked. "That you?"

"Zoe!" Katie said as she ran to the person, who was about her size with long blonde hair.

"Oh you came back!" Zoe said as she hugged Katie. "What a nice surprise!"

"I didn't come just to see you again," Katie said. "I brought a little crew along."

"Hmm, I think I remember you three," Zoe said as she pointed to Sara, Hannah, and Edwin. "But I haven't met the rest of you. Oh, wait a minute. You, are you Ian?" She then asked as she pointed to me.

"Yeah, that's me alright," I answered.

"Ha, I still got it!" Zoe said in excitement. "I was just talking with Mike the other day! He told me that you were coming. Following his footsteps, I see."

"I guess you can say that," I said.

"So, you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"Our Gym Battle, silly! What else would you think I was asking about?!"

"I just didn't know what you were asking about! That's all!"

"Yeah, good luck on getting out of that one," Jill said.

"You said it, girl," Zoe said. "What's your name by the way?"

"Oh, I'm Jill," Jill answered.

"I guess we might as well introduce ourselves as well," Elio suggested. "I'm Elio."

"And I'm his cousin, Selene," Selene said. "Great to meet you."

"Great to meet you as well!" Zoe said. "I'm sure you heard by now, but I'm Zoe, the Berlin Gym Leader. Mike and Katie both challenged me for their respective challenges on the same day actually when they were still training; It was quite the treat."

"How does it feel to be just a Gym Leader now, Zoe?" Katie asked. "'Cause I know you enjoyed being the Head Coach when you also ran the Showdown."

"Honestly, I don't miss being the Head Coach anymore," Zoe answered. "The Showdown would've taken so long to overhaul just to make it a proper Trial. This property wasn't meant to have a Trial in the first place."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Katie said. "Takes a lot of pressure off of your shoulders as well."

"You bet. Though I do miss the days when some people called me a race queen. But I think it was ultimately a change for the better."

"That's good to hear."

"Anyway, ready for our battle now Ian? I can't hold in my excitement anymore."

"I don't blame you," I said. "'Cause I'm pretty pumped as well."

"Great!" Zoe said. "Follow me then!"

Because of where the path was placed, we were able to get a good view of the go-kart track, and it was a pretty simple one to boot.

"Oh, Zoe, since we're passing the go-kart track, has it already closed for the season yet?" I asked.

"This weekend is actually the closing weekend," Zoe answered. "We usually close it around Veteran's Day, but extended it for a little longer since this summer was so brutal. Attendance was slightly better this fall than this past spring, surprisingly, and was approaching the numbers that we got this summer. We probably had a record fall season in terms of attendance."

"That's crazy," I said.

"Yeah, no kidding. Hey, maybe after our battle, you guys wanna take a spin in the go-karts before you leave?"

"That sounds cold."

"I think it would be fun," Jill said. "We could do that then grab lunch in the area afterward."

"Plus, go-karts are just so much fun," Sara added.

"Well, you're pretty hardcore as it is Sara," Katie said. "You and I have done more intense things than this. This is more on the 'tame' side."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Sara said. "But I think it would be fun for everyone else."

"Well Sara, you're an adrenaline junkie, too?" Zoe asked.

"Pretty much," Sara answered.

"Ditto," Hannah added.

"I see," Zoe said. "What about you, erm…?"

"Edwin," Edwin said. "And no. I'm not as hardcore as these two."

"I'm with you on that one," I said. "I'm such a wimp with a lot of things."

"Hey, that's ok," Zoe said. "Not everybody needs to be insane just to get their blood pumping. Anyway, we're here."

Well this Gym definitely has a racing aesthetic, I'll give it that. But I've heard that Zoe specializes in Electric-Types, so I don't know how that connects to racing. Maybe there's some technical terms that I'm not aware of. Who am I kidding, I know nothing about pro racing.

"Well everyone, welcome to the Berlin Gym," Zoe said as we walked into the lobby.

"Wait, do all Gyms have a lobby?" Selene immediately asked. "The only Gym I've been to is the one we have at our school."

"Most of them do," Zoe answered. "It really depends on where they're located. That being said, this part of the Gym specifically is also used as a resting area to give guests a break from the intense summer heat."

"Hold on, wouldn't that make you confused as to who's challenging the Gym and who's not?" I asked.

"That is a good question Ian," Zoe started. "But if you follow me, right down this hallway, we have another lobby with my desk front and center so that challengers can meet up with me. We also have signs placed throughout the property and in this building to show you where to go."

"Oh. That's convenient."

"We've had this since the Gym opened, and it's received very little complaints, all of which are silly nit-picks."

"And you also get a very good view of the battlefield in the main lobby," Katie added. "So if you don't wanna sit in the bleachers, then you can always hang out here."

"But why would you wanna do that?" I asked.

"Some Pokémon battles can get quite loud indoors," Sara explained. "In fact, one of our best friends has phonophobia, which is the fear of loud noises. He isn't able to go to a lot of indoor events in general, like sports games, concerts, or Pokémon battles. Even some things that are held outdoors bother him sometimes."

"Precisely," Zoe added. "Especially since there's quite an echo in the battlefield, though I've been asking the team to get that fixed for awhile now. But we didn't wanna disregard those kind of people at all, since Pokémon battles are always exciting to see in person."

"I see," I said. "Hey, Sara, can you tell me a little more about that friend of yours after we're done?"

"Uh, ok," Sara answered. "I never thought you'd ask. Granted, he's got a personality similar to yours, and is a Trainer as well, but it's been awhile since we've seen each other."

"Hey, it gives you an excuse to see him again," Hannah said. "I'm sure he misses you."

"Yea, you're right. I do miss him, too."

"Was this guy one of us, if I can ask?" Zoe asked.

"You remember Shelby, right?" Sara asked. "She was one of the Head Coaches as well."

"Oh, I remember her!" Zoe said. "She was such a good one! She's got a brother or something? 'Cause I don't remember her bringing up such a person."

"Yea. She's got an older brother."

Trust me, I know. These conversations are taking quite a while. I'm just as eager to get to the battle as you are.

"Uh, guys, I don't wanna be rude or anything, but can we please get our battle started?!" I interrupted.

"Oops, sorry about that!" Zoe said. "Kinda got carried away. Of course we can get started!"

"Phew, finally," Elio said.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Elio," I quickly said. "You would basically be begging to be smacked if you interrupt a girls' conversation."

"Wait, what are you sa-," Elio started.

"What he said," Selene interrupted. "So it's best that you shut up right about now and make your way to the bleachers before I do the smacking for them."

"No need to smack anyone," Zoe said.

"But…"

"It's kinda my fault that we blabbered for as long as we did; Bad habit of mine, especially around people I know."

"With you on that one," Katie said.

Without further adieu, we finally made our way onto the battlefield. Turns out there was only one set of bleachers, which are right above the lobby.

"Your cousin was quite the challenger Ian!" Zoe said as she went to her side. "I hope you deliver just as much of a wallop as he did!"

"I sure hope so!" I said as I went to my side. Man, I know everyone knows me thanks to Mike, but when can everyone stop hoping that I'm just as good as him?! I don't know how Mike even does his battles for crying out loud! It's kinda getting annoying a bit for me, but I don't wanna be rude at the same time.

"Oh, there you are Zoe," Someone said as they entered the room.

"I was just about to ask where you were Koji," Zoe said.

"I see you got a new challenger."

"Yep! He's Mike's cousin!"

"Oh, that's neat."

"Indeed! Care to be our ref?"

"My pleasure," Koji said as he walked to the ref's spot. "The battle between Berlin Gym Leader Zoe and challenger, uh…"

"Ian," I simply said.

"Sorry," Koji said. "I should've asked before I started. Let me restart that. The battle between Berlin Gym Leader Zoe and challenger Ian will now begin! Both Trainers are allowed to use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over once all three Pokémon from either side are unable to continue. As a reminder, only the challenger is allowed to substitute Pokémon. Trainers, bring out your Pokémon now!"

"Emolga, dear, the green flag has flown, so come on out!" Zoe said as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out her first Pokémon.

What came out was what basically was a flying squirrel Pokémon. It honestly looks super adorable. That said, it definitely looks like a Flying Type to me, so Monferno would be a bad fit for the beginning. At the same time though, I don't wanna take a chance of using Luxio to only find out that this thing has Volt Absorb, like what happened when I battled Erin's Chinchou.

There is a chance however that I might have to use Luxio, but I don't think this is the time to do it. "Gonna have to take a gamble here," I said to myself. "Monferno, come on out!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my partner.

"All right then, let the battle begin!" Koji said.

"You probably made a big mistake," Zoe said. "Emolga, use Acrobatics!"

Emolga was quick to get the first strike, doing some major damage to Monferno.

"Saw that one coming," I said. "Monferno, use Flame Wheel!"

One powerful attack immediately followed by another. Also, I need to point something out here: You remember that I kept mentioning Same-Type Attack Bonus in the past, right? Well, turns out that it's the full meaning of the acronym STAB, as I have learned the other day. So I'll be mentioning that from now on instead of saying the entire thing to save any additional blabbering.

"Not bad at all Ian," Zoe complimented. "You got some guts to use a Fighting Type against a Flying Type."

"It was either that, or use a Pokémon that would be immediately less useful thanks to a certain Ability," I said.

"Ah, I know what you're referring to. Bit of a spoiler alert, but one of my Pokémon has the Ability you're probably thinking of. But I'm not gonna say who since that'll take some of the surprise away!"

"Don't have a problem with that. It's nice to have some surprise during a battle."

"See, you understand. Now Emolga, use Electro Ball!"

Now this is a new move to me. I don't remember any Pokémon back in Sinnoh using this move, or any Pokémon using this move in general. But I don't think I wanna have Monferno take this hit to see how much it does. "Dodge it!" I quickly said.

Monferno basically jumped and did a cartwheel to the side, easily getting out of Electro Ball's way. Though seeing it when it's not in Monferno's path does look pretty cool.

"I don't think I've ever seen that move before," I said when Electro Ball passed by.

"It's a very interesting attack that is super helpful for faster Pokémon," Zoe explained. "The amount of damage it does depends on how much faster the user is compared to the target."

"Huh. That's pretty interesting." As interesting as that sounds, I don't think it would be a good idea to have it on Luxio; It's not known for being one of the fastest Electric Types out there. In addition, Luxio is known for being more of a physical attacker, and Electro Ball seems to be a Special Attack.

"If you have any Electric Types with you, then I can help you teach that Pokémon Electro Ball after the battle if you want," Zoe offered.

"I'll think about that," I said. "For now, use Ember, Monferno!"

"Use Double Team!"

Just before the Ember hit Emolga, it created copies of itself, making the attack go right through. That was some klutch timing on Zoe's part, and it paid off.

"Oh no," I said. "That's just lovely."

"How about that?!"

"Heh. You may have gotten us surrounded, but I know a way out."

"I'd like to see that. Right after we use Acrobatics!"

Even though there were a lot of Emolgas going after Monferno, seems only one of them was actually doing damage, and the rest is simply an illusion. I can only tell since Monferno's body was moved only once, while the rest of the copies were simply going right through.

"You okay Monferno?" I asked my partner.

Already Monferno is starting to struggle a bit. I really should've used Luxio for this to resist both Acrobatics and Electro Ball.

"Shoot," I said to myself. "Gotta get rid of that Double Team now. Monferno, spin and use Ember!"

Putting that countershield strat to good use once again. That's basically my only way of dealing with Double Team, and it has worked wonderfully.

"Oh I see how it is," Zoe said. "In that case, Emolga, use Volt Switch!"

Yet another ball of electricity was forming from Emolga, but it didn't look like Electro Ball. And it did quite a bit more damage than that move. But then Emolga got called back to its Poké Ball without Zoe even taking it out? I thought only challengers were allowed to swap Pokémon.

"Wait, what?" I asked. "What even was that?!"

"Go Jolteon! You're up!" Zoe said as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out another Pokémon.

At least I knew what Jolteon was; It's one of the more popular Eeveelutions. But I'm so confused as to what even happened. First Emolga uses an attack, goes back to into its Poké Ball, and gives Zoe a chance to swap?

"Wait wait wait, hold on!" I said. "What's going on?!"

"That's the entirety of Volt Switch!" Zoe explained. "The Pokémon gets a chance to attack before going back to its Poké Ball, allowing the Trainer to switch."

"But I thought only challengers were allowed to switch?"

"Yes, that's true. But we're still allowed to have moves like that. It keeps things fair for both sides."

"Well. That was unexpected to say the least."

"You shocked?"

"I see what you did there."

"Haha, sorry. Couldn't resist!"

"Ah, don't worry about it. I probably would've done the same thing."

"Anyway Jolteon, use Thunder Fang!"

Jolteon's fangs were sparking with electricity, and it gave off quite a shock when it bit Monferno. This Pokémon definitely seems quite a bit faster than Emolga, unfortunately. And that Thunder Fang seemed to do a pretty decent amount.

"That's a lot of damage," I said. "You ok there?"

Monferno is in bad shape. I don't know what kind of defenses Jolteon has, so I think I'll just have to go all-in without resorting to my Z-Move. "Well at least we can use all of our moves without worrying now. Use Dig!"

That's probably the biggest positive I can list for Zoe switching out Emolga for Jolteon. It's kinda hard to tell if Monferno is actually faster despite that Jolteon went first; It was only the first turn after all. Things can change very quickly obviously.

"Keep your ears open," Zoe told Jolteon. "It can be anywhere."

Jolteon is definitely expecting Monferno to strike. I kinda like that actually. It keeps the mood tense, if you know what I'm talking about; Keeps both of us on our toes. But now I gotta find a way to get it without it knowing.

As Monferno was digging, I swear I heard a voice in my head asking me what to do. As creepy as this is gonna sound, it almost sounds like Monferno was talking to me despite this conversation containing of a human and a Pokémon. I only know of one Pokémon that can actually speak human language, and that's Mike's Snowkey.

"What am I even hearing?" I asked myself. It almost sounds like I'm hearing "Do I go for it Ian, or do I go deeper?" The only thing that I can think of with that question is Monferno asking how to strike its Dig attack, but Monferno obviously can't speak human language. Could I be going through a phenomenon similar to what happened when I battled Erin? In fact, I heard my own voice in my head saying "Go deeper, Jolteon is expecting you. And strike from behind as well so that it can't see you." The thing is, it happened so quickly, that I was only able to get that one question out of my mouth, as Monferno did exactly what I heard in my head.

"Oh my," Zoe said in shock. "Did Monferno hear my voice from under there or something?"

"I doubt it," I said. "I knew that Jolteon was expecting it since you told it to be more aware, and I knew that going straight for it was a bad idea. You didn't hear me tell Monferno to attack from behind or stall out the strike, right?"

"I heard you asking yourself something, but it was too quiet for me to understand anything. But other than that, I didn't hear anything from you."

"Strange."

"Did you and Monferno possibly communicated through your minds?"

"How's that possible? I can only see that working with a Psychic Type, and Monferno is not one at all."

"Even so, your Monferno is packing quite a punch. More so than any other Monferno that I've seen. Did you anything to it?"

"If you're asking about anything that I gave Monferno, no. I know nothing of those. All I did was lots and lots of training."

"Strange. All of its physical attacks are doing a lot more than a normal Monferno would be doing. I don't wanna sound mean, but are you sure you're telling the truth?"

"I am. Hang on, let me check my Pokédex and see what Ability it has. That might be the culprit."

"Good idea."

I was in utter shock about the Ability that Monferno has. It has Huge Power, which doubles the user's physical Attack stat. But I thought the Chimchar line can't get Huge Power? It's either Blaze or Iron Fist. How is this possible?

"That _is_ the culprit," I said. "It's got Huge Power."

"How?" Zoe asked. "Did it have that when you got Monferno as a Chimchar?"

"Yeah."

"Weird. In any case, that's one special Monferno you've got."

"That we can agree on."

"I wanna see more of that. Jolteon, use Thunder Shock!"

"Quick, use Mach Punch!"

Now that I'm aware of Monferno having Huge Power for its Ability, I think we should think about learning moves that are considered physical than special. As of right now, the only special attack that Monferno has is Ember, so I think we should look into a new move to replace that in the near future. Also, I did say that I wanted to check my Pokédex for Monferno's Ability back when I battled Erin, but I completely forgot to do that. Anyway, Monferno got in to hit Jolteon with Mach Punch just in time before being hit with Thunder Shock, which resulted in a crit, and did enough to knock it out.

"No! Monferno!" I shouted.

"Monferno is unable to battle!" Koji announced. "Jolteon wins!"

Well this wasn't a good start. This is gonna be a lot harder going forward now that my real only counter to Electric Types is down and out. Most likely Jolteon has Volt Absorb, so Luxio would be a terrible idea, and Staravia and Buizel wouldn't do well either for obvious reasons. But I think I don't have much of a choice right now. I'm gonna have to start taking risks and plan strategically.

"Thanks partner," I said as I put Monferno back in its Poké Ball. "You were great despite the disadvantage. Now make sure you rest up good. I'm still kinda surprised that you didn't stick with Emolga all the way through, Zoe."

"I know," Zoe said. "That was done on purpose. Gotta keep you on your toes after all."

"You're not wrong."

"So, who're you gonna send out next?"

"That's the tricky part. Monferno was basically my best bet."

"Well now you gotta get creative with your strategies."

"You don't say." I took a deep breath before deciding who's coming out next. I usually don't like taking risks, but I'm gonna have to as I said prior. "Luxio, you're up!" I then said as I threw my next Poké Ball.

"It's nice to see that you got yourself a Shiny, but why a Luxio of all things?" Zoe asked.

"I've got my reasons," I answered. "Luxio, use Charge."

Even though I can't use Spark, at least I can boost Luxio's Special Defense in the meantime. This matchup is starting to make me think outside the box. If we can use Charge just before Jolteon goes down or when Emolga comes back out, we should be in very good shape for taking hits.

"What is he doing?" Zoe asked herself. "Doesn't he know that he can't use Electric-Type moves while we can? Oh well. Jolteon, use Thunder Fang!"

"Dodge it!" I told Luxio.

Jolteon is definitely fast, but Luxio gave itself plenty of time to get out of the way. That's what we're gonna have to do if we're gonna get out of this unscaved. I don't know what else we can do to use Luxio's slower Speed to its advantage, but we'll just have to try.

"Now use Leer!" I then said.

Once both Pokémon came to a stop, Luxio turned to Jolteon in time to lower its physical Defense. With Luxio's attacks being all physical, and Jolteon having low Defense to begin with, we really don't have to worry about Volt Absorb since I have no intention of using Spark until Emolga comes back out.

"I think I'm starting to see what he's up to," Zoe said to herself. "Jolteon, use Quick Attack!"

Since this was a regular effective hit, it did a decent amount of damage. Is Luxio's defenses not as good as I think they are? Cause even though Jolteon has nothing to do massive damage to Luxio, it was still doing a decent amount. If there was a way that we can slow down Jolteon, I would go for it. But Electric Types can't be paralyzed, and Jolteon has Volt Absorb. So I'm just gonna have to go for all offense.

"Let's see how much this'll do," I said. "Luxio, use Bite!"

As I thought, Bite did do pretty good for us. But I think if we can get off one or two more Leers, that should finish off Jolteon. We're gonna have to move quick though, despite the slower Speed.

"Not bad," I said. "Did about as much as I thought."

"You doing fine Jolteon?" Zoe asked her Pokémon.

Zoe's Pokémon got up relatively quickly, and nodded at her. Now that I'm thinking about it, what if Zoe's Jolteon also has Volt Switch? If it does, then she could easily get rid of Jolteon's lowered stats by using it, and go into Emolga in the process. I certainly hope not, 'cause that'll then throw my strat out the window.

"Then use Thunder Shock!" Zoe commanded.

Huh? But I had used Charge, and technically speaking Thunder Shock is a weaker attack than Thunder Fang. I'm no expert, but that just seems so odd. Maybe Jolteon has a greater Special Attack stat, and Thunder Shock did just as much as Thunder Fang or something. I have no idea.

"Let's minimize that damage," I said. "Use Charge."

"Jeez, how is he not tempted to use a damaging Electric-Type move after using Charge?" Zoe asked herself. "He seems to be aware of Volt Absorb. I like that. Use Quick Attack then!"

"Dodge, and use Leer!"

Man, both Pokémon are going all over the place. It's almost hard to keep up with them they're moving so fast, especially Jolteon. And with all of this electricity being shot on the battlefield, I can almost feel some of the static in my hair, as weird as that sounds.

"Great, now use Bite once more!" I commanded.

"Use Quick Attack again!" Zoe quickly said.

Jolteon got off the Quick Attack before getting bit by Luxio, which managed to knock it out.

"Jolteon!" Zoe shouted in disbelief.

"Jolteon is unable to battle!" Koji announced. "Luxio wins!"

"Thanks so much Jolteon," Zoe said as she put Jolteon back in its Poké Ball. "Now get some rest. Heh, now you and I are even! You're not bad at all! I thought for sure you were gonna try and use a damaging Electric move, only to find out that Jolteon had Volt Absorb."

"Ha, I knew it!" I said in excitement.

"I'm impressed. You used Charge for a different purpose. That's a good strategy."

"I mean, I basically have to think outside of the box if I'm gonna get anywhere in this battle. And it seems to be paying off so far."

"Haha, but you've only knocked out one of my Pokémon. We're nowhere near done yet."

"I'm aware. And I'm ready for it."

"Good! Emolga, come back out then!" Zoe said as she called back out Emolga.

"Perfect," I said. "Luxio, use Charge once again."

Since we saw all of Emolga's moves, I now know what to expect from it. Though I have no idea what to do when and if it uses Double Team.

"Playing that game, huh?" Zoe said. "Emolga, Electro Ball!"

What is Zoe doing?! If she wants to get her special attacks out before they're essentially useless, fine. But I thought for sure she was gonna go for Acrobatics first, since that did a lot of damage when she used it on Monferno.

"She was certainly right when she said she wanted to keep me on my toes," I said to myself. "I just wonder what is she even up to. Luxio, use Spark!"

Now we can finally use our entire moveset against Emolga, though I'm not sure about the rest of the battle. STAB plus a boost from Charge equals pretty hefty damage on Emolga, and it shows. I'm sure it'll do even more if we can get a Leer or two thrown in there for good measure. It's not that I want my battles to go as fast as possible, 'cause usually the better ones do take awhile, but there are times where I can or can't handle tough challenges all that well. I do enjoy a good challenge here and there, as long as it's reasonable, like the Gym Battle I'm in right now for example.

"Let's kick it up a notch," Zoe said. "Emolga, use Double Team!"

Just as I had feared though. It's gonna be tough to get rid of the entire thing and attack the real Emolga. It's going to be tough only because Luxio doesn't know any special attacks to use for the countershield trick.

"Shoot, I was worried about that," I said.

"Finally got you cornered, didn't I?" Zoe asked.

"You certainly did. Now what to do…"

"While you think about your strategy, Emolga, use Acrobatics!"

"Not happening again! Dodge it, and get out of the circle!"

"After it!"

Great. Now Luxio is being chased. Pretty soon, there's gonna be nowhere to go, and Luxio is gonna get hit by a powerful hit.

"Now what do we do?!" I said. Then an idea struck me. "Wait… Luxio, head toward the wall!"

Luxio gave me a weird look when I gave it that command as it was still running. "Trust me," I told it, reassuring that it was going to be okay. "I got a plan to get out of that mess."

Luxio then gave me a trusting nod, and booked it for the wall. This is one risky plan, but remember what I said earlier? I don't think I need to reiterate what I had already said during this battle.

"Just a tad closer," I said to myself, watching Luxio get closer to the wall.

"What does he think he's doing?" Zoe asked herself.

"Jump up the wall, then use Spark!" I said right as Luxio got to where I wanted it to.

Luxio leapt up at the wall, launched itself in the opposite direction, turned around, and struck the Double Team at just the right moment, getting rid of it altogether. While that didn't knock out Emolga, most importantly, the plan worked better than I had thought.

"Well that went smoothly!" I said.

"That was clever!" Zoe complimented. "I like that! Seems you got an alternative to whatever your other Double Team strategy was."

"I can't take credit for my typical strat. A friend of Mike's friend originally came up with that strategy. By any chance, did he ever use that when he battled you?"

"I don't recall. The rules for this Gym Battle were very different back then. We only used one Pokémon during that battle."

"Hmm. That's strange."

"Which friend are you referring to, by the way, now that you mentioned your cousin? 'Cause I think I've met some of them."

"Have you met Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz?"

"Yeah, I remember those two! They were such cutie pies, especially Dawn! One of them was responsible for your strat?"

"Yeah, Dawn came up with the countershield when she was a new Trainer."

"Counter what?"

"Don't worry about it. We'll talk about that after the battle."

"Ok then. Emolga, use Acrobatics again!"

Acrobatics did manage to strike this time. Thankfully, since it was a Flying-Type move, it was not very effective on Luxio.

"Hanging in there Luxio?" I asked.

So far, so good. Not taking a ton of damage, even though Acrobatics and Electro Ball are admittedly a good combo. But after that Spark, I think we have a better chance to knock it out with one more hit, but I think getting a power boost wouldn't hurt.

"Use Charge one more time!" I told Luxio.

"Not going for another hit I see?" Zoe asked. "Fine by me. "Emolga, use Electro Ball!"

Come to think of it, Emolga hasn't used Volt Switch again after Zoe sent it back out. Wonder why. Maybe she wanted to have Emolga do more battling since when it first came out, it lasted pretty short.

"Wait, why isn't Emolga using Volt Switch again?" I asked.

"I didn't wanna be annoying and spam that move," Zoe explained. "Plus, my final Pokémon doesn't know Volt Switch, and it's my best Pokémon. So I wanna save the best for last."

"Good to know. Now Luxio, use Spark once more!"

Just I thought, Spark did just enough damage to knock out Emolga. That wasn't even a crit. STAB plus Charge boost really is a deadly combo.

"Oh no Emolga!" Zoe shouted.

"Emolga is unable to battle!" Koji announced. "Luxio wins!"

"That's two in a row Luxio!" I said to my Pokémon. "Just one more, and this battle is ours!"

Luxio seemed very happy about that, as it was jumping for joy. I even heard it purring a bit from where I was. Safe to say that Luxio is one loud cat when it comes to purring.

"Well you two sure make quick work in battle," Zoe complimented as she put Emolga back in its Poké Ball.

"I mean, we got some heavy damage dealt when Monferno was still active," I said.

"True, but as much fun as I am battling your Luxio, I don't think it's gonna last much longer."

"We'll just have to wait and see."

"You said it, not me. Zebstrika, time to finish this!" Zoe then said as she threw her Poké Ball, calling out her last Pokémon.

What came out was basically a badass looking zebra Pokémon. Even the mane looked like lightning bolts, and it looks pretty awesome. But it's got something around its chest with a round object in it. What on Earth even is that? I don't think I've seen that before. Ok, maybe I saw that with Sara's Zoroark, but I don't think I asked about that at the time.

"My, oh my," I said.

"I remember that Zebstrika," I heard Katie say from the bleachers above.

As soon as I heard Katie, I looked up, seeing a firm and fascinated look on her face. It's clear that she's come across Zoe's Zebstrika before. Maybe Mike did as well when he battled Zoe.

"Things are getting real good now Ian," Zoe told me. "Zebstrika here is the one I call my partner. It's earned me some fame in the community. It's a force to be reckoned with at this point in the game."

"Going by looks, it's not that hard to see why," I said.

"Hope you're ready for us."

"I'll always be ready."

"Good. Zebstrika, start off with Shock Wave!"

At least this move is pretty self-explanatory. Tons of shockwaves emerged from Zebstrika's body, and struck Luxio pretty good. But it seemed to be a special attack, so it did very little thanks to the fact that Luxio had boosted its Special Defense four times already.

"That's a weird move to start off with," I said to myself. "Let's work our way in there. Use Leer."

No doubt Zebstrika is very fast, probably even faster than Jolteon. So my early start strat that I had when we battled Jolteon probably won't work, so I gotta think of something different for this round.

"Going that way, eh?" Zoe asked. "Zebstrika, get in there with Flame Charge!"

I thought for sure another Electric-Type move was coming, but this seemed to be a Fire-Type move? Like, Zebstrika's body was engulfed in flames and booked it to hit Luxio. As it did so, it seemed to get faster. So, that move increases Zebstrika's Speed? If so, then that's lovely. Then again, it's already faster than the rest of my Pokémon, so there's really no point in Zoe wanting to max out Zebstrika's Speed.

"Yikes, that's gotta hurt," I said.

"That's only scratching the surface," Zoe said. "Get a taste of our Spark!"

Yeah, Zoe wasn't kidding. That thing definitely packs a wallop. I'm concerned to know what its other moves are. I really need Luxio to tough it out, as Staravia and Buizel simply wouldn't stand a chance.

"Hang in there Luxio," I said to my Pokémon. "Use Spark!"

Luxio was able to activate it, but once it got going, basically all of the electricity when toward Zebstrika, doing nothing to it. Well there goes any hopes I have right now.

"Wait, what?!" I asked in surprise. "What even happened?!"

"You were aware of Volt Absorb with Jolteon, but I assuming you haven't heard of Motor Drive?" Zoe explained. "That's one of two typical Abilities Zebstrika can have. Motor Drive absorbs the power of any damaging Electric-Type move, and converts that power to boost its Speed."

"Jeez, just when Zebstrika isn't fast enough with the boosts from Flame Charge."

"Yep! Many people have called my Zebstrika 'Speedy Thunder,' and I think that's so accurate. And if you think that's crazy, try riding it. It's so exhilarating when you're going that fast."

"I would imagine. So I'm basically back to square one when Jolteon was out though…"

"Gotta come up with new strategies now."

"Nailed it."

"Now Zebstrika, use Double Edge!"

Zebstrika started taking off again, but with no remorse this time. That attack looks insanely powerful, and I'm sure that's gonna knock out Luxio if we don't do anything. "Dodge it, quick!" I quickly told Luxio.

Even though Luxio got out of the way just in time, Zebstrika didn't stop at first, and nearly crashed into the wall. I seriously thought I had to jump out of the way myself it was moving so reckless.

"Oh my god that was close," I said as I felt my heart beating out of my chest. "I thought Zebstrika was gonna hit me and the wall."

"Double Edge can indeed be very dangerous," Zoe said. "It also causes the user to take some recoil damage at the cost of the move being so powerful."

"Yikes. Just, yikes. I wouldn't wanna be in the way of that. You okay Luxio?"

Even Luxio seemed to have the living daylights scared out of it. The poor thing. If it were to even be scared in my house, then its claws would be slipping on the floor as it struggles to start running. That actually sounds pretty funny to see in person now that I think about it.

"Then use Leer," I said to it. "We might as well start setting up for whoever's coming out after you."

Now that we've seen all four of Zebstrika's moves, we can start preparing ourselves better. I'm just worried since Zebstrika has the Type advantage over my last Pokémon, no matter who I choose. Part of me wants to use Staravia after Luxio for Intimidate, but I also wanna give Hydro Vortex another chance if I can during this battle.

"Preparing yourselves I see," Zoe said. "I hate to break it to you, 'cause this has been a lot of fun, but we gotta wrap this up soon." Zoe then lifted her wrist to show her Z-Ring. What was inserted didn't look like a typical Z-Crystal however. I can't tell what kind of pattern it has from this far away. By the time I was starting to get a better look at it, the view was blocked off by Zoe's fingers, as she put her index and middle fingers on the crystal, and it started glowing pretty intensely. "It's the last lap, Zebstrika! Let's finish this race with all we got, and Mega Evolve!"

What happened next was really insane. Zebstrika's body glowed, but not in the sense of it evolving, but additional like additional body parts were being added up or something. When it stopped glowing, it looked pretty different, as it grew a horn that happened to be a part of its mane as well. Its legs got a bit more buff, and it got a bit taller. Right as it stopped glowing, a symbol quickly appeared, then disappeared, completing this sequence.

"What in the world?" I asked in surprise. "What even happened?"

"Jeez, is this really your first time witnessing Mega Evolution?" Zoe asked. "You've heard of it at least, right?"

"I heard of it, but I never saw it before. And holy crap is that crazy to see."

"Definitely, and it's amazing to use once you have a compatible Pokémon. Now you get to witness the power of Mega Evolution for the first time, and up close! Zebstrika, use Flame Charge!"

Holy crap is this thing freaking fast! I'm trying hard to not swear as much, but goddamn. I feel like I saw my life flash before my eyes or something. Zebstrika looks so badass when it Mega Evolves though.

"Well things just went south for me very quickly," I said. Perhaps setting up for my final Pokémon was the right call, as Zebstrika is noticeably more powerful now. "But does it still have Motor Drive though? I really don't wanna stick around to find that out. Luxio, use Bite."

That Bite finally landed a crit, probably the first one in this entire battle. It did seem to do a decent chunk, but that concerns me at the same time. If a crit did that much, then I'm worried for how much a regular hit would do, which is weird to me. Maybe Zebstrika got a Defense boost as well when it Mega Evolved. I have so many questions about Mega Evolution now that I'm battling a Pokémon that is capable of such. But asking them in the middle of a battle isn't the best of ideas to begin with.

"Come on, I know you can do better than that Ian!" Zoe said. "Zebstrika, give it a Spark!"

Even if Zebstrika didn't possibly need it, it got a crit as it was going for the KO, finishing up Luxio. I can't be too upset about it though, 'cause it lasted a long time. But the fact that I'm now at a disadvantage isn't sitting well with me, and that's what I'm worried about.

"Luxio, no!" I shouted.

"Luxio is unable to battle!" Koji announced. "Zebstrika wins!"

All I could do as I walked over to Luxio was just sigh. I don't know if that was a sigh of relief or a sigh of despair. Like I said, I shouldn't be too upset about this considering how far Luxio got me in this battle. I'm just not looking forward to what's next. I'm screwed no matter which way I go.

"Thanks so much Luxio," I said as I put Luxio back in its Poké Ball. "You deserve a nice rest. Well Zoe, all I can say is that escalated quickly."

"I can definitely see and tell how surprised you are," Zoe said. "Luxio battled very well though. You should be proud of it."

"I am. Very proud of it. I honestly didn't think it would carry this far."

"But now you got a whole new obstacle to deal with. Wonder how you're gonna deal with this one."

"This isn't gonna be easy, that I know for sure. But who should I even send out?"

Now that I think about it, I think going with Staravia would basically guarantee me a loss. At least all of Buizel's moves are regular effective on Zebstrika; That's not the case for Staravia. Even though Intimidate would help, it would probably help only a little bit.

"Ok," I said to myself after taking a deep breath. "It's now or never. Buizel, let's finish this!" I then said as I threw my Poké Ball, calling out my final Pokémon.

"Oh? I'm surprised you're going with a Water Type," Zoe said.

"It's not like I have much of a choice," I said. "I would've been put at a disadvantage no matter which Pokémon I sent out; Both of them are weak to Electric Types."

"I see. So let's see what you got!"

"Hopefully that won't be too much of a problem. Buizel, use Quick Attack!"

I'm actually kinda glad that we got two priority moves at the moment. One of which does give us STAB, so even though we're doing chip damage, we still get a chance to strike before Zebstrika does. That's gonna be important for this last part of the battle.

"Going for the priority immediately, I see?" Zoe said. "Zebstrika, use Shock Wave!"

Unfortunately, there seems to be nothing that we can do about Shock Wave, as that seems to be a guaranteed-hit attack. Double Edge and Spark I'm also concerned about, but I'm not too worried about Flame Charge since we resist that. However, we also have a guaranteed-hit move of our own, being Swift. So most likely, we'll be using that the most.

"Well if you're gonna use a guaranteed-hit move, then so will we," I said. "Buizel, use Swift!"

If I'm not mistaken, Swift does about as much damage as Water Gun and Aqua Jet do with the STAB boost, so we're doing just about equal damage for most of our moves. With the only exception being Quick Attack, of course. On a brighter note, that finally landed another crit. Now they're finally becoming almost as frequent as I'm used to. That was a little weird how there was a drought of those during this battle. Guess that shows that the odds certainly can vary per battle, and this is no exception.

"That's not bad," Zoe complimented. "Now Zebstrika, strike back with Spark!"

"Quick, use Aqua Jet, and dodge with it!" I quickly said.

If Zebstrika is gonna come in fast with its physical attacks, then I think our best bet is to use our priority moves to not only attack, but to also dodge attacks as well. It should, theoretically, give us enough space to get out without too much trouble. I'm not getting my hopes up though, as things can go south quickly.

But it seems that worked out just fine, as Buizel was able to strike and dodge all with Aqua Jet with ease. I'm glad that worked out, but I don't wanna do that repeatedly. I really don't want my pattern to get repetitive.

"Oh, I see how what you're doing," Zoe said. "Using a priority attack to attack and dodge. That's a neat idea!"

"I do come up with good ideas from time to time."

"You definitely do, especially when you're forced to think outside the box. Ok Zebstrika, time to use Double Edge!"

Man, I just can't get over just how fast Zebstrika is. It might be the fastest Pokémon I've battled so far. I didn't even have enough time to tell Buizel to dodge it, as it had gotten hit by the time I had called its name. However, that caused Zebstrika to take quite a bit of recoil damage, making it a bit easier for us to weaken it. That's quite a trade-off you have to deal with if you wanna have a move that powerful. I don't know how common those kinds of moves are with the more experienced Trainers, but they sure are crazy.

"That's gonna leave a mark," I said. "You okay Buizel?"

The sea weasel Pokémon was able to get up just fine, but you can tell that is has already taken a lot of damage, and it had already just entered the battlefield. I really don't know what else we can do to make this easier, as that thing is certainly powerful, at least for this early in the journey. Mega Evolution is certainly something else. Now I see why it's so popular; It adds a whole new layer of use to a Pokémon.

"Then use Water Gun," I then commanded.

Instead of using Water Gun, Buizel seemed to almost go for Quick Attack, but never took off. After one loud shout from it, it started raining..? What? How in the world did it start raining on the battlefield?

"Wait, why is it raining?" I asked. "I didn't come to battle and get wet at the same time."

"Well, the sprinkler system didn't turn on," Zoe said.

"Wait, Ian, your Buizel just learned Rain Dance!" I heard Katie yelling from the bleachers.

"Rain Dance, huh?" I asked as I checked my Pokédex. "Oh, sweet! And Water-Type moves get a boost in rain as well! Awesome!"

"Well I'll be surprised," Zoe said. "Now you're really back in the game! So show me what you got now!"

"No problem! Buizel, use Aqua Jet!"

You can tell that the boost is in effect, as that Aqua Jet seemed to be faster and stronger than normal. I'm already liking this, even if I'm gonna be soaked after it stops.

"Now that's how you do it!" Zoe said. "Now Zebstrika, use Spark!"

"Dodge it!" I told Buizel.

I really should've used Aqua Jet to dodge as well, but I didn't think of that for some reason, even though that was gonna be my primary strategy for this round. But somehow, Buizel was able to dodge faster than it normally would.

"Whoa, that was faster than I thought," I said.

"That's gotta be Buizel's Ability, Swift Swim," Zoe pointed out. "It gets a Speed boost whenever it rains."

"'Swift Swim?'" I asked. "Well this is getting better and better!"

"You said it, not me! 'Kay Zebstrika, use Spark one more time!"

"Intercept with Aqua Jet!"

Yeah, I'm probably spamming Aqua Jet at this point, but it's the only way that I can somewhat keep up with Zebstrika, especially since it seems that Buizel forgot Quick Attack for Rain Dance. On top of that, we landed yet another crit, which is great, but also concerning at the same time; She is very well due for one at any time, which worries me. Maybe we actually have a chance though. I don't wanna jinx anything, but it certainly seems to be shaping up like that.

Unfortunately though, that didn't stop Zebstrika from hitting that Spark. It's getting down to the wire now. I'm kinda surprised that Zoe didn't have Zebstrika use Flame Charge on Buizel at all. Granted, that move is not very effective on us now, but she did use Electric Type moves on Luxio before despite being aware of that.

"How are you feeling Buizel?" I asked my Pokémon.

"How about you, Zebstrika?" Zoe asked her Pokémon.

Both Pokémon are indeed starting to struggle. This Rain Dance is really mattering in our moves, which is honestly surprising me. This could turn the battle around, but it's gonna be close regardless.

"Don't give up yet Zebstrika!" Zoe said. "Use Double Edge and wrap this up!"

"Try to get out of there!" I told Buizel.

Buizel really tried to dodge, but still got clipped by Double Edge. Because the attack still made impact, Zebstrika did take some more recoil damage. One more powerful attack like that, and it's all over. This last turn has to count.

"Hang in there Buizel," I said. "Oh man. Now what do we do?"

"Boy, it's getting neck and neck now," Zoe said. "I'm loving it so far!"

"So am I, as intense as it has been."

"Is it becoming too much for you?"

"No. Considering that we're basically at the end, why stop now?"

"Yeah, good point. As much as I hate to tell you, but Buizel doesn't look like it can go on for much longer. Can you still go on though Zebstrika?"

Zebstrika seems to be almost done as well. I really don't think another Aqua Jet or Water Gun is gonna finish it from this range. I gotta think of something else, and fast. But then Buizel was pointing at my wrist, trying to tell me something about it.

"Wait, do you really wanna try that?" I asked Buizel. "Last time we tried it, we struggled to keep it together. Are you sure?"

Buizel then gave me a confident, suring nod with a firm smirk on its face. It was serious. It wanted to try and use the Z-Move.

"All right," I said as I swapped Z-Crystals. "You wanted to do it, so we're doing it." Activated my Z-Ring, did the pose for the Water-Type Z-Move, the whole shebang. No turning back now. The moment of truth.

"Let's finish this, Buizel!" I shouted.

Hopefully the rain will hold on for just this one Z-Move, 'cause I'm starting to feel like it's starting to let up. If so, then we're using it at just the right time. I'm worrying too much again.

"Here we go," I started. "Full power! Use Hydro Vortex!"

Now let's just see if Buizel can hold it together. If you remember, or in case you forgot, we tried using Hydro Vortex when we battled Leo, but ultimately failed to use it. Since then, we've done extensive training to get it down. Now we just gotta see if all of that training was enough.

"Come on, keep it together," I said to myself as I watched.

The whirlpool was just getting bigger and bigger, possibly the largest that we've gotten it. Buizel's doing alright with it. We just gotta hope that Buizel can launch that sucker. And my god, it freaking worked. Buizel launched the Hydro Vortex. But will it do enough damage to finish Zebstrika?

"No way," I said to myself. "Did that just work?"

It's actually doing damage to Zebstrika. It actually worked. We might have actually done it. We just have to wait for it to dissipate now to see if Zebstrika can still go on. But given how high up Zebstrika got lifted from the whirlpool, I doubt that it'll keep going after that hard landing.

"Zebstrika?" Zoe asked as she was looking at her Pokémon.

Koji took another look at Zebstrika before making any calls. He stared at it for what felt like a minute, but was actually just a few seconds. But when Zebstrika seemed to have returned to normal, that settled it. "Zebstrika is unable to battle!" Koji announced. "Buizel wins! That means Ian is the winner!"

"No way!" I said. "It actually worked! Buizel!"

I couldn't feel happier. That was the first time we successfully used that Z-Move in battle. I can also feel Buizel's excitement as it jumped into my arms. Yeah, that last move may have been a bit excessive, but what else could I have done to defeat Zebstrika? I didn't wanna rely on my luck to not use the Z-Move.

"Thank you Zebstrika," Zoe said when she walked to it. "You never disappoint to amaze me."

I decided to be the one to walk to Zoe this time. I just really wanted to see Zebstrika up close honestly. It just looked so cool.

"That was an amazing battle Ian," Zoe complimented.

"I enjoyed that as well Zoe," I responded. "I was just blown away with Mega Zebstrika. I was not expecting that at all."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it! All of our Pokémon did so well. You had some great strategies! Buizel learning Rain Dance and using its Z-Move to pull off that clutch win was such a turn of events!"

"I mean, Buizel and I had been trying to get down the Z-Move for awhile now. That was basically our primary goal for a couple weeks."

"I see. Well, you two definitely nailed it. You seemed to be getting nervous near the end."

"Can you really understand why? It's been awhile since I was under that much pressure."

"But matter is, you pulled off the win. I'm sure you must be relieved about that. And I'm also sure that your cousin will be proud."

"For sure on both of those."

"Anyway, Ian, since you pulled off an amazing victory here at the Berlin Gym, I want you to have the Jolt Badge."

"Thanks so much Zoe!"

"Ian!" Jill said as she ran into me to give me a tight hug. "That was so amazing!"

"Good job Ian," Katie complimented. "Very well done."

"Thanks everyone," I said. As soon as I put Buizel back on the ground, I felt Sunsil jump into my arms next. "Haha, hey there Sunsil."

"Aww, is that yours Ian?" Zoe asked.

"No, that's mine," Jill answered. "But I still let Ian see her since they love each other."

"That's cute."

"Yeah, I guess you can say that Vulpix is my weakness," I added.

"More of, like, it _is_ your weakness," Sara said.

"I can't blame you though," Zoe said. "Vulpix is one of the cutest Pokémon of all time after all in my opinion."

Sunsil seemed to have liked that commented, as she made a little squeak and blushed. Her tails were wagging like crazy, and she wanted to see Zoe as well.

"I think she wants to say 'thank you,'" I said to Zoe.

"Aww, come here you cutie pie," Zoe said as she took Sunsil. "Aren't you adorable?!" Sunsil then proceeded to lick Zoe on the cheek a few times. This Vulpix is literal perfection. I'm so spoiled to basically have this Pokémon in my life. "Hey, that tickles! All right, I gotta hand you back to Ian."

"Come here, Sunsil," I said as I took Sunsil back into my arms.

"And you can have this as well," Zoe then said as she handed me something guessed it: Another Z-Crystal.

"Which Z-Crystal is this one?" I asked as I took it from Zoe.

"That's the Electrium Z," Zoe answered. "Luxio would make a perfect fit with it. So, that's your third Gym Badge, I'm assuming?"

"Indeed it is."

"Almost halfway there! You know where you're headed next?"

"I didn't think about that honestly."

"Well, can I see your Badge case?"

"Uh, sure..?"

"Yep! That's still on there!" Zoe then said after she saw my Badge case. "Then you have to head to the one at Holiday Island!"

"Uh, Holiday Island?" I asked. "Where is that?"

"Did you really forget that I told you about that place when we were down at Westbrook?" Jill asked.

"Wait, I think I remember now. But I don't think I heard that there was a Gym over there."

"Yeah, the resort wanted to have something that would really bring in Pokémon Trainers," Zoe explained. "And having a Gym was apparently the best option for them. They already have multiple areas around the resort to do battles at."

"How odd," I said.

"By the way, is your class going there for their Senior Trip this year?"

"Yeah, we sure are," Jill answered.

"Wait, seriously?" I asked in surprise. "This is news to me."

"Have you been living under a rock or something?! The school has been doing that for a couple years now!"

"Yeah, they started that with my class," Katie added. "You're gonna love the place though when you go. Sara, you three gonna go visit them as well?"

"We'll try," Sara answered. "Last time we visited was when your class went I think."

"When is the trip, by the way?" I asked.

"Next month," Jill answered. "We're spending winter break over there."

"You mean our Christmas break?"

"Yep. You don't have to go if you don't want to, especially if your family is travelling."

"Oh, I'm going. I really wanna see what that place has in store."

"That's great!" Katie said. "Zoe, are you gonna be at the holiday dinner by the way?"

"Of course I'm going!" Zoe answered. "I love that place!"

"Great! Then I guess we better head out soon."

"After we do the go-karts of course," Zoe interrupted. "And grab lunch as well; I'm getting kinda hungry myself."

"Shoot. I was hoping everyone forgot about it."

"Nice try, Ian," Jill said. "Besides, you'll like it."

"I hope so," I said. "Oh, by the way, I do have one last question Zoe."

"Sure, ask away," Zoe said.

"What is even on your Z-Ring? Cause it looked like a Z-Crystal from where I was."

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about this."

"It looks just like a Z-Crystal," Elio interrupted.

"It's sort of a Z-Crystal," Zoe explained. "But it can also act as a Key Stone, the item needed to activate Mega Evolution. This is known as a Z-Key Stone."

"I've heard about these," Katie said as she took a closer look. "I thought these were rare. How'd you get your hands on one?"

"Supposedly they're becoming more and more common," Zoe answered. "I haven't read much of how they're even made though."

"I have to let Mike know about this. Cause if they are starting to be more common, then we might have to grab a few to take a look. I really wanna learn more about these."

"They're pretty neat, that's for sure. So, how about we do one ride on the go-karts, then we can grab some lunch? My treat!"

It seems everyone was up for that. Even though I was a little hesitant at first, everyone else basically talked me into it. Plus it's only one ride on it, so I guess I can deal with it for now. Though I don't know how much of a good idea it is to have lunch immediately after riding go-karts. We'll just have to wait and see I guess.

And holy crap was that fun, but insanely cold. I was worried more about the cold than how rough they were. Afterward, we stopped at a restaurant named "Boston Market," which was also very good. Then we made our way back to the Fun Zone since Zoe came with us in the same car.

"Thanks again, Zoe," Katie told Zoe.

"It was my pleasure!" Zoe said. "I'm glad you all enjoyed yourselves as well! And Ian, I wish you the best of luck at the Holiday Island Gym when you go."

"I'll definitely be training for it," I said.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting the rest of you all. Hope to see you at the resort!"

"We will Zoe!" Jill said.

"You can count on it!" Elio added.

"Bye Zoe!" Selene said.

"See ya!" I said. Then we left and made our way home. During the trip home, I got to learn more about how and when Mike and Snowkey first met, and even learned a few facts about Holiday Island. I'm definitely excited, but I need to see what the resort actually looks like before I make any judgements.

For some reason, we actually stopped at Mike's house instead of stopping at my house. I dunno why, but apparently everyone else knew about it except me. Katie told me that Mike wanted to see us after the battle, which I guess makes sense.

"Mike? You home?" Katie asked as she knocked.

"Ah, there you are Katie," Mike said as he answered the door. "Where's everyone else?"

"They're right here."

"Ah, there you are! Please, come in! Don't want you standing in the cold!"

"I hope I'm not being rude for feeling a little awkward for being in the Champion's house," Selene said.

"Don't worry," Mike said. "I've dealt with worse. Can I get you guys anything?"

"We're good," Hannah and Edwin said.

"I'll take a soda," Sara said.

"I can go for some water," Jill said.

"Gotcha!" Mike said as he was fetching for the drinks. "Ian, what about you?"

"Got any orange juice?" I asked.

"I got a few cartons. Good enough?"

"Fine by me."

"Cool beans."

Instead of staying in the kitchen, we made our way over to Mike's living room, which was actually smaller than the kitchen. Even though it had enough seats for everyone, it was still interesting to me.

"So, Katie said that you had some news to tell," I said.

"Ah, yes," Mike said as he put his soda down. "I want you guys to listen good, all right?"

"We're all ears Mike," Katie said.

"You're involved in this, too, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I forgot."

"Is it anything bad?" Jill asked with a worried look on her face.

"No," Katie said. "But we still wanted to tell you guys."

"Earlier today, I was on a business call with a fellow Champion," Mike started. "The Champion of Alola, Sun, to be exact. He invited Katie and I to visit him at Aether Paradise in the Alola region, and he said that we can bring Ian and Jill along for the trip."

"What?!" Jill and I asked in shock.

"Can we bring a few friends along?!" Jill asked.

"Well…" Mike hesitated. "I'm not sure about that. This was really meant to be a meeting for the two of us."

"Oh come on Mike, let them bring a few friends along," Katie said. "But only three friends each, ok?"

"I think that's a fair compromise," I said. "I've always wanted to go to Alola anyway!"

"If we went with you, then we can show you a few places!" Elio said.

"Right, you two are from Alola!" Jill said.

"All right, I give," Mike said. "You two can invite three friends."

"Sweet!" Jill and I said.

"Who are you gonna invite Ian?" Jill asked me.

"Elio and Selene to start, obviously," I said.

"Who else then?"

"Probably Lillie if she doesn't mind."

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind," Mike said. "She could also teach you guys a thing or two about Alola since she's from there as well. Jill, who are you gonna invite then?"

"I don't need to give an actual response to tell you who," Jill said as she looked over to Sara, Hannah, and Edwin.

"We're so special," Sara said.

"Flying, my favorite," Edwin said.

"You'll be fine," Hannah said.

"Besides, we're basically going on a mini vacation!" Sara added as she wrapped her arms around Edwin. "And we don't have to worry about the cold!"

"She is right," Elio said. "Alola is pretty warm year round."

"Oh. Good to know then," Edwin said.

"I'll get in touch with Lillie for you if you want Ian," Mike said.

Just as Mike finished talking, someone else was knocking at the door. "Hang out, let me get that," Mike said as he went to see who it was. "No way," He then said as he was answering the door. "We were literally just talking about you." It was Lillie. That totally isn't a mere coincidence.

"Really?" Lillie asked. "What about me were you talking about?"

"Sun asked Katie and I to come see him at Aether Paradise, and we were wondering if you'd like to join us?"

"Sun?" Lillie asked as she blushed. "The Alola Champion?"

"Yeah. You think you can join us?"

"Sure. I'd love to join you!"

"All right then peeps, pack up your stuff tonight so that we can catch our 8:00 flight tomorrow morning. Meet me here at 6:30 so we have enough time."

So I have to get up about the same time as I would for school. Swell. But at least I'm getting up early for something that I actually enjoy.

"Oh, by the way, Lillie, why'd you stop over?" Mike asked Lillie.

"Is Ian here?" Lillie asked. "I heard he was going for a Gym Battle today."

"He's already back from it. Ian, come here!"

"I'm here, I'm here," I said as I entered the kitchen.

"Hi Ian!" Lillie said. "Doing well?"

"Doing very well actually," I answered. "How about you?"

"I'm doing fine, thank you. I heard you did your third Gym Battle today. How did that go for you?"

"Went very well! Have a look for yourself!" I was pretty eager to show Lillie my Badge case. She had a pretty warm smile on her face when she saw my new Badge.

"That's wonderful! Congratulations! Oh, Snowflake is outside if you would like to see her."

"That sounds nice. Jill, wanna come, too?"

"Sure," Jill said as she followed me outside.

"Oh, Mike, how long are we staying in Alola, by the way?" I asked.

"We'll be gone for about five days," Mike answered. "So make sure you pack accordingly."

"Wait, what about all of the work that we'll be missing in school?" Jill asked.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of that for you as well. Elio, Selene, Jill, I'll just need your last names for when I contact Mr. William."

Being a relative of the Champion definitely has its perks, I'll say that. Going to Alola has always been on my bucket list for a long time, and I get the opportunity to do so now. I just have to remember that the climate over there is much warmer than here, so I'll have to look through what summer clothes I kept out for the winter (In case you're wondering, it's for whenever we go on overnight trips, and this is definitely one of those). Besides, I think I did need this time off for a bit.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The thoughts of going to Alola wouldn't stop flying around in my head, even as I tried to sleep last night. I'll definitely be sleeping when I can during the trip to Alola. Dad even had to come down to my room to make sure that I was awake.

"You awake, son?" Dad asked as he came downstairs.

I was about to give the thumbs up to him while laying down, but shot straight up as soon as I heard my alarm going off. "I am now," I answered.

"Haha, yeah, you seemed to have struggled to sleep."

"You nailed it. It was a little hard for me to relax myself after hearing about this trip."

"I can't blame you. Getting to travel with your cousin on a large-scale trip like this is really special."

"I know, but are you sure you're not mad that you're not going?"

"I'm not mad, Ian. I'm very happy for you. This is a very special opportunity that I don't think the rest of us can have. Plus, I think you do need some time away from home, and spend some more time with Mike. It's almost like you two are getting to know each other a lot more ever since you reunited as well."

"Yeah, tell me something that I don't know."

"No need to be sarcastic, son. Why don't you get a quick breakfast, then I can bring you to his house? You and Jill?"

"Yeah, I guess we can do that. Oh, wait, I think Mike said that we'll grab breakfast on the road last night."

"Well, that's convenient. Gives you more time to get ready."

"You don't say."

"I thought I said to not get sarcastic with me."

"Sorry. I just didn't get enough sleep last night, so I'll probably be sleeping until we get there."

"Understandable."

As I was getting ready, Jill had called me to see if she can come with Dad and I to Mike's house. We were cool with that, of course. She then arrived a short time later, and we eventually made it to Mike's house. The only people that we needed to wait for were Elio and Selene.

"Sorry again for having you guys come so early," Mike said. "We'll grab breakfast before we head to the airport. Sound good?"

"Yeah, sounds good," I said as I yawned.

"Someone's certainly gonna be sleeping on the flight," Katie said.

"Heh, you think?" I said sarcastically.

"So Ian, what'd you pack for the trip?" Jill asked.

"Aside from the obvious stuff, quite a few gadgets to keep me busy when we're not out and about," I answered. "Like, my laptop, tablet, phone, one or two game consoles, and so on."

"You nerd," Sara teased.

"He's one of us though," Mike said. "Definitely a tech geek."

"Oh, Mike, I do have one question though," Jill asked.

"Sure. Ask away."

"Where are we even gonna be staying?"

"We'll be staying at Aether Paradise. The President over there is letting us stay in her mansion."

"How fancy," Sara said.

"Well, looks like we're gonna be so spoiled for the next few days," I said.

"Haha, just make sure you don't get too comfortable," Mike said. "Anyway, can one of you check and see where Elio and Selene are? We need to head out soon if we're gonna be there in time."

A short while later, and everyone's finally here. We were finally able to hit the road and get some breakfast. Then it was about a half an hour drive to get to the airport. While getting everything set did take a while, we were able to board our plane with no worries. And with that, we were off to Alola.

"So Ian, is there anything in particular that you're looking forward to seeing in particular when we get to Alola?" Lillie asked me.

"Honestly, I wanna try and catch a Pokémon over there," I answered. "Cause I'm sure there are some Pokémon that you can find in Alola, but can't find in the US. Like Alolan Vulpix for example."

"Alola definitely has some unique Pokémon. I don't know how far in Alola we'll be able to go, though, so make sure you don't set your expectations insanely high. In addition, what you're used to at home may be different in Alola, so keep that in mind, ok?"

"Don't worry, I will. I'm not expecting to carry home a super powerful Garchomp or anything like that."

"That's good at least," Lillie said as she giggled, then sighed. "It's been a long time since I was last in Alola. Most of my family still lives there. I wonder if they're going to be home when we get there."

"Wait, you have relatives at Aether Paradise?" I asked.

"You'll find out when we get there. Right, Shiron?"

"Kon!" Shiron firmly and happily responded.

"Such a cutie," Jill said.

"Yep," I added. "Anyway, I'm gonna try and get some sleep before we land."

Seems I slept for quite a while, as Jill had to wake me up when we landed. Shiron also had laid on my lap while I slept, which I didn't mind at all. Though I had to get myself together rather quickly so that we can get off the plane on time. As we were coming in for a landing, I felt someone shaking my shoulder, trying to wake me up.

"Ugh, how long was I asleep for?" I asked.

"Obviously for the rest of the flight," Sara answered.

"I'd say a good two to three hours," Jill said. "Maybe four. What time is it over here anyway?" Right, we're in a different part of the world. So the time zone is different from Connecticut.

"I think it's around 7:30," Lillie answered. "Alola is about five hours behind Connecticut."

"Whoa, it's almost like we went back in time," I joked.

"Come on Ian, no need to start with the jokes," Jill said.

"To be fair, I was gonna say the same thing before Ian did," Sara said as she chuckled.

"Sigh, when it comes to cracking jokes, you two are like peas in a pod," Mike pointed out.

If there's one lasting impression that I'm already having, it's just how pleasantly warm it is over here. It's definitely a relief from the cold that we've had in Connecticut so far, so this is a welcome change for me. Then again, I really shouldn't be talking since when I lived in Sinnoh, I lived in possibly the warmest area of the region. So it could be that I'm not as used to the cold as everyone else.

But the nice warmth didn't last for long, as I felt a blast of cold air from the AC as we got inside the airport. It was so colorful and bright inside, which was pretty nice compared to the one we took off from back at home. It's almost like vibrant colors is a recurring theme throughout Alola or something, and I kinda like that actually. That's not even counting the excitement that I'm feeling inside since this is my first time visiting Alola, obviously.

This airport was massive though. We had to go down an escalator before we came across any other exits or something. As I continued to look around, I saw Mike looking at someone with a blue and white-striped shirt, black shorts, and a black cap.

"Alola!" The person shouted as he waved. "Mike! Katie!"

"Sun!" Mike shouted as he started waving back. "Alola to you too!"

"Welcome back! That's a good-sized crew that you got there as well."

"Indeed it is."

"Alola, Sun!" Katie said. "Great to see you again!"

"Great to see you as well, Katie," Sun said. "So, who's the gang you got here?"

"I already told you about Ian," Mike said. "But this is him right here."

"Hey," I simply said.

"I'm Jill!" Jill introduced herself.

"The name's Elio, and that's my cousin, Selene," Elio finished.

"Are you ever gonna give me a chance for me to introduce myself?" Selene teased as she pouted.

"Well, it's finally a pleasure to meet you all," Sun said after he chuckled. "I'm Sun, the Alola Champion. I welcome you to the Alola region. Huh? Did I miss someone behind you guys?"

"Hmm?" I said in my mouth as I turned around. "What's wrong, Lillie? You okay?"

"Huh?!" Lillie suddenly asked as her face was burning up. "N-Nothing, I'm fine."

"Lillie?" Sun asked. "Is that really you?"

"Sun…" Lillie said softly. "I never thought I'd see you again."

"I did. We'll catch up when we get to Aether Paradise, ok?"

"Ok."

I could've sworn I saw Lillie getting ready to give Sun a huge hug. It seems she likes him a lot. You can tell they're close friends, regardless.

"So, Sun, what time is our boat for Aether Paradise departing?" Katie asked.

"We got a few hours," Sun answered. "It leaves at 12:30."

"So what can we do for the time being?" I asked.

"Well, how about we head to the malasada shop here in Hau'Oli City? My treat!"

"That sounds very nice!" Lillie said. "I would love to have some malasadas again!"

"Uh, what are malasadas?" Jill asked.

"They're a specialty snack here in Alola," Sun explained. "There are shops selling them pretty much everywhere in the region."

"You'll love them!" Selene said.

"What she said," Elio added.

"We'll take your word for it," I said. "I could go for a snack anyway."

"Me, too," Jill said.

"Then follow me everyone!" Sun said as we were heading out of the airport.

As we were walking through the city, Sun was asking us a few questions, basically getting to know us. "So, I heard the rest of you are Pokémon Trainers as well," He said. "How's that going for you?"

"I'd say we're all doing well," I said.

"Yeah, that's pretty accurate," Jill added.

"We're doing pretty good, too," Selene said.

"That's great to hear!" Sun said. "What about you, Lillie? Last time I saw you, you said that you were going to work to become a Trainer yourself."

"Oh, yes, I did," Lillie said. "As you can probably tell since I got my partner with me. Say hi, Shiron!"

"Kon!" Shiron squeaked.

"Aw, you got yourself an Alolan Vulpix. That's wonderful! May I pet it?"

"Of course!"

"Haha, it's so cute. Did you really travel to Mt. Lanakila by yourself to catch one?"

"Actually, Shiron hatched from an Egg I raised."

"Ah, I see. Seems you got over your fear of touching Pokémon as well!"

"Yeah! I conquered my fear last summer! I felt so proud of that moment!"

"I'm sure you were. Besides, you and Shiron make a good fit together!"

"Aww, thank you Sun."

"Incidentally, the first Pokémon I raised also hatched from an Egg," Jill said.

"That sounds exciting!" Sun said. "What Pokémon did you raise from your Egg, Jill?"

"I'll show you! Come out, Sunsil!" Jill then said as she called out her Shiny Vulpix.

"Pix!" Sunsil shouted as she came out of her Poké Ball.

"A Shiny Kantonian Vulpix?" Sun asked. "That's amazing. And you also gave your Vulpix a nickname as well. Very cute name you got there! You, too, Lillie!"

"Thanks!" Jill and Lillie said together.

"Sun, I don't wanna be disrespectful or anything, but have you and Lillie met before?" Mike asked. "'Cause last time we saw each other, you didn't mention her at all."

"Yeah, we sure have," Sun answered. "I made occasional visits to the Pokémon School here on Melemele Island during my journey, which was where Lillie and her friends attended before they moved. But Lillie decided to join me as I finished my Trials on Akala Island before she left."

"I remember," Lillie said. "The day we left was pretty emotional for me, mostly because I grew up in Alola. All the people I got to know when I was young, all the Pokémon I got to meet, I had to leave most of that behind for me to move on. And that included leaving you."

"At least you stuck to your goal, and we reunited as well. That's the one promise you and I both kept."

Yeah, there's no way around: These two like each other. A lot might I add. I ship it though; They'd make an adorable couple together.

"Hey, Sun, sorry to interrupt, but how much further are we?" I asked.

"We're almost there," Sun answered. "On second thought, we probably should've stopped at the Pokémon Center so that you wouldn't have to carry all of your luggage… My bad."

"It's no big deal Sun," Mike said.

"Even the Champion can't think of everything," Katie added.

"That makes me feel a bit better," Sun said. "Good news though is that we're finally here."

The malasada shop kinda reminded me of the donut shops back in the US. They just have that vibe to them, and I love it. All of these malasadas look so delicious right now, even though I had breakfast a few hours ago. I don't care though, it's still relatively early in the morning here in Alola, so I'm getting myself a second breakfast, dammit!

"Holy crap, they look so good," I said with my eyes glued to the food on display.

"I want it all," Sara added.

"You and me both, Sara."

"Sigh. When it comes to food and Sara, she's basically inseparable from it," Hannah pointed out.

"I just love food, ok?!" Sara snapped. "Besides, Ian is doing the same thing! So I'm not the only one guilty!"

"That's amusing," Sun said as he chuckled. "Do you all want to take a few minutes to decide what you want?"

We all basically agreed to Sun's question. This is basically a whole new type of food that I'm trying. I think the last time I tried a region specialty was the Old Gateau back in Sinnoh, and we had those all the time.

After a few minutes, we had finally decided what we wanted, and ordered it all at once. Since I had breakfast a few hours ago, I decided to just get two regular malasadas. While I may not be picky when it comes to trying new food, I'd rather work my way into it by starting with the basic offering before moving onto what else is available, if that makes any sense.

We had to find the largest table this shop had available, as our group was rather large. They only had one open, and we took that one right away. The malasadas were amazing though, so I really can't complain.

Now we got about two hours to kill before we have to board our boat to Aether Paradise. The marina was a ten minute walk from the malasada shop, so we could head there now and just wait, but Sun had another idea up his sleeve. There was a mall right near the Pokémon Center, so he suggested that we can shop for some souvenirs if we wanted to. As expected, the girls wanted to go shopping at the mall, while the rest of us decided to hang back unless they need us for anything legitimately important.

After about an hour and a half of shopping, we finally made our way to the marina, with about twenty minutes to spare. Everyone was basically doing their own thing as we waited. Like, Lillie and Sun were engaged in a full conversation, Sara, Hannah, and Edwin were just sitting around. Mike and Katie were looking at brochures, while Jill and I were just sitting around outside, looking over the water.

"Hey Ian, why didn't you go look for some Pokémon while the rest of us went shopping?" Jill asked me.

"I just didn't want to find something without you being there to witness it," I answered. "Besides, I'm pretty sure the Pokémon around here are nowhere near as strong as we are right now; I'd rather catch something closer to my level."

"Since when did you start using levels to describe how powerful your Pokémon are?"

"I just find it easier to put it that way personally."

"Ah. I understand what you mean."

"Better start getting ready you two," Mike said as he and Katie walked outside.

"Almost time to head out," Katie added.

"Ok," Jill and I both said in unison.

To my surprise, we were allowed to wait at the dock. I dunno if this is also allowed elsewhere since I've never travelled by boat before, but that's yet another thing that I noticed. Then again, I was told that Alola is made up of four islands, so boat travel is very common in this region; More so than others I would assume.

A short time later, our boat has arrived. It looked like none of the other boats here at the marina. There was a gold logo on the side of the hull, and a tall guy with a heavy white coat stepped out of the boat. Also, he has green-colored goggles..? He's gotta be a scientist of some kind; I'm getting that vibe from him.

"Ah, Sun, good to see you again," The man said. "It's been a long time."

"Good to see you as well, Faba," Sun responded. "It has been a while."

"Hello, Faba," Lillie said.

"Ms. Lillie!" Faba said. "Welcome back! I'm sure your mother will be pleased to see you again!"

"I'm sure she will, but please don't embarrass me until then," Lillie then said as she blushed.

"Of course. Allow me to introduce myself to the rest of you then. I'm Faba, the Branch Chief of the Aether Foundation. Pleased to meet you all."

"I'm Mike, the US Champion," Mike started. "This is my girlfriend and Top Conqueror, Katie. And this here is my cousin, Ian."

"I'm Jill!" Jill introduced herself.

"I'm Selene, and that's my cousin Elio," Selene said as she introduced herself and Elio.

"I'm Sara," Sara introduced herself. "This is my boyfriend, Edwin."

"And I'm Hannah," Hannah introduced herself.

"Ah, so you're the Champion that Sun invited over to meet, Mike," Faba said. "It'll be my honor to transport you all to Aether Paradise. Come along then, we don't have much time to waste!"

Once everyone got onto the boat, we immediately headed out toward Aether Paradise. Even though I've only been on a few boats in my life, this was without a doubt the fastest one I've ever been on. It's almost makes me feel sick cause we were going so fast. Most of the group stayed on the outside portion of the boat, while I chose to stay in and hide in the shade; Got enough of the Alola sun as it is. Jill and Lillie decided to hang back as well so that I can have at least someone to stay with me.

"Is he doing okay, Jill?" Mike asked as he stepped in to check on me.

"He seems to be doing alright," Jill answered for me.

"You're not gonna be seasick, are you?"

"I hope not," I answered. "I'm not used to going this fast on a boat. The bumps from the waves are making me a bit queasy."

"Sigh. I'll go ask Faba if he can slow it down, if that'll make you feel better," Lillie offered.

"If you can, please?" I asked. "I don't really feel all that comfortable right now."

"Don't worry. I'll take care of him," Lillie said as she went to go find Faba. Do Faba and Lillie go way back or something? Cause it seems that they get along like they're family members or something. Could Faba be Lillie's father even? Nah, that's very unlikely; It's better if I don't ask.

"Hang in there bud," Mike said as he patted my shoulder. "We'll be there soon enough. If we do slow down before we get there, why don't you come out and enjoy the breeze? It's wonderful out there."

"I'll think about it," I said.

"Plus, it's possible that it could distract you from potential seasickness," Jill added. "But I know nothing about that kind of stuff, so don't take my word for it."

"Eh, it could never hurt to try," Mike said.

Thankfully, Faba did slow down the boat a bit so I don't feel sick. About an hour later, we had arrived at Aether Paradise. If there's one word that I can describe this place at first glance, it's big. Like, really freaking big. From what I saw, the main entrance was pretty high up, but I didn't see any walkways leading there. That didn't really matter though, as we went to a different part of the building. It was basically another dock, but this one was indoors.

"What part of this place are we in?" Selene asked as we were getting off the boat.

"What do you think it is?" Elio sarcastically asked. "It's just another dock!"

"I'm not that stupid, Elio. I was just asking because I saw a balcony out front."

"That's on the main floor," Faba said. "This bottom floor is for any incoming boats. Before, we used it for extra cargo storage, and it was off-limits to the public. But we had a huge number of guests in the last few years come in by boat, so we altered that."

"I can see that," Sun said. "Looks a lot better than how it used to be. This part of the place used to be pretty gloomy to say the least."

"It does look quite a bit better regardless, though," Lillie said.

"Ah, I see you all have arrived safely!" Another woman with short dark purple hair said as she approached us. "Welcome to Aether Paradise! I'm Wicke, and I'm the Assistant Branch Chief! Nice to meet you all!"

"Hi there, Wicke!" Lillie said after the rest of us introduced ourselves. "It's been a while!"

"Oh, Lillie! Welcome back!" Wicke said. "It's very nice to see you again! I hope you have been well!"

"I have, thank you!"

"Great to hear! So, I'm taking that this is the entirety of the group?"

"It is, Wicke," Sun said. "We're ready whenever you are."

"Great!" Wicke said. "Then follow me!"

It's pretty obvious where we were headed next: An elevator. A very large elevator if I might add. I guess that is a recurring theme here at Aether Paradise: Very big stuff. Even with the amount of people that we had, there was still plenty of room on the platform. Strangely, we didn't immediately go to the main floor, as we went all the way up to the next floor.

What we saw when we got to the second floor was pretty insane. It was like one giant bridge with multiple branching paths with so many Pokémon in between. I really like this area. The atmosphere here is just very nice somehow, and I can't seem to explain why that is.

In addition, there was a really tall woman with probably the largest amount of blonde hair I've ever seen. Her outfit was, you guessed it, all white with gold accents. I'm gonna say it right now: She's hot. I remember Ash saying that one of his friends fall for any woman pretty easily, and this would definitely be one of them.

"Hello, everyone!" The woman said when she turned out to greet us. "I welcome you to Aether Paradise! I'm Lusamine, the President of the Aether Foundation. Pleasure to meet you all!"

Next to Lusamine was a boy with the same color hair, but wearing all dark clothing. "The name's Gladion," The boy said in a deep tone while covering part of his face with his arm. "I'm Lusamine's son."

"He's so fucking edgy oh my god!" I heard Sara whisper.

"You ok, Sara?" I asked.

"I'm ok," Sara quickly answered.

"Gladion! Mother!" Lillie shouted.

"Lillie!" Lusamine said as she gave Lillie a quick hug. "I'm so happy to see you again! Looks like you've been doing well!"

"Mother, please don't embarrass me," Lillie begged. "We got plenty of time to catch up."

"I'm glad to see you return," Gladion said as he approached Lillie with a smile on his face. "I've been hearing about the things you've done back in Connecticut. Sounds like you're enjoying yourself over there."

"I am!" Lillie said. "You should come over one of these days. How was your training in Kanto and Johto, by the way?"

"It was good. I can tell you about what I discovered later if you would like."

"I'd love to! Cause I would like to about my time in Connecticut as well!"

"Wait, Lillie, do you know Gladion and Lusamine?!" I asked.

"Yes," Lillie answered. "The three of us are family members."

"Whoa," I said.

"That must be awesome to have a mother like Lusamine," Jill said.

"Well, it hasn't always been as bright as you might think," Lusamine said. "We had, uh, a few rough spots in the past."

"Rough enough to tear this world apart," Gladion said.

"Oof," I said. "Burned."

"Yeah, he's definitely edgy," Jill said.

"Huh?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Sigh. You're seriously asking?"

"How could you not know what that means?!" Sara asked.

"I'm just not familiar with the term, ok?!" I responded.

"Now, now, let's not start an argument," Mike said.

"Ah, you must be the US Champion, Mike," Lusamine said. "Nice to finally meet you!"

"Likewise, Lusamine! The pleasure is all mine!"

"And you must be Katie, Mike's girlfriend, right?"

"Yep, spot on," Katie answered.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you as well," Lusamine said.

"I hope if you don't mind if I ask, but where would like us to put our luggage?" Mike asked.

"Oh, you can leave that in my mansion," Lusamine answered. "I can have some of my staff bring them there for you."

"That'd be great, thanks," Katie said.

"I understand you, Mike, and Sun have a meeting to take care of, so how about I offer your friends a tour of our Conservation Area while you three do that?"

"Sounds brilliant," Mike answered.

"Wicke, can you show them the meeting area, if you can?" Lusamine asked.

"Sure!" Wicke cheerly answered. "Right this way, you three!"

"Well everyone else, you ready?" Lusamine offered.

"Yeah!" Most of us answered.

"Lillie, what are you and Gladion gonna do?" Lusamine asked.

"I think we'll hang back," Lillie answered. "We have a lot of catching up to do. Don't worry, I'll tell you as well."

"All right then. Follow me everyone!"

So it turns out that this Conservation Area is made for Pokémon that were victims of human abuse to be taken care of by Aether. They also prohibit capture of any of the Pokémon living here. Lusamine also told us that they have special technology that prevents empty Poké Balls from even working. That's pretty awesome in my opinion. They are working for such a great cause. The thought of it put such a warm smile on my face.

When we were coming up on one of the corners, we came across another woman who looked extremely familiar. She was around my height, her black hair when just past her shoulders, and was wearing a gray jacket. Is she who I think she is?

"Huh? Who's that?" I asked.

"I gotta go, Lusamine needs me," The woman said to her phone. "Yeah, I'll keep you posted. Bye."

"You know her, Ian?" Jill asked.

"Sorry about that, Lusamine," The woman said as she approached us. Then she took a quick look at me. "Wait… Ian?"

"Mom?" I asked.

Yep, it definitely is her. We couldn't hold back; We practically ran to each other and hugged one another. It had been a few months since I last saw her, so I deserve this moment with her, dammit!

"Well, I'll be," Lusamine said in shock. "This is a pleasant surprise."

"Two reunions of family members in one setting," Jill pointed out. "How sweet!"

"So, how are things going between you and your father?" Mom asked.

"Going pretty good," I answered. "The house is great, school is good, met some great friends. Can't complain."

"I'm glad to hear that sweetie. Words can't describe how much I missed you two."

"Trust me, Dad and I were feeling the same pain."

Mom and I gave each other one last hug before turning to the rest of the group. You can tell she was incredibly happy to see me again. She really wasn't ready to be away from Dad and I for a few months.

"Sorry for all of that," Mom said.

"No, it's ok," Lusamine quickly said. "We understand the importance of the moment."

"Thank you, Lusamine. Anyway, the rest of you must be friends of Ian. Glad to meet you! I'm Lisa, and I'm the President of the Astrophase Corporation."

Everyone was suddenly clueless when Mom mentioned the company she works for, which was to be expected.

"I was expecting that response," Mom said. "Allow me to explain. At Astrophase, one of our many research goals is studying extraterrestrial Pokémon life, and their connection to our planet. I'm here right now because Astrophase and the Aether Foundation are working on a collaboration project, so I wanted to bring Lusamine some new information about the project."

"Plus, Lisa heard that Mike and Katie were stopping over with Sun, so she wanted to stay a little longer to see them," Lusamine added.

"Right. By the way, Ian, I'm sure you've had more than enough time for you and Mike to meet up again."

"Definitely," I said. "It feels great to have him literally close to home."

"Wait, since Mike and Ian are cousins, then that must be that you're his aunt?" Jill asked.

"You're right on that!" Mom answered. "And you are?"

"I'm Jill."

"Ah, so you're our new neighbor. Ian and my husband has told me about you. It's great to finally meet you! And thank you for being there for Ian."

"It's really no big deal at all!"

"She's right," Selene said. "Ian's just a great person to be with."

"I second that," Elio added.

"We're all on the same page," Sara said. "We're basically a second family to him."

All of this positive talk about me from my friends is making me blush, not gonna lie. They're just adding on to why I'm so glad we did move all those months ago. I really needed friends like these people in my life.

"Well, I'm grateful for all of you," Mom said. "It really means the world to me to see that my son has met so many wonderful people."

As we were talking, a giant wormhole opens up right next to us, and someone in a giant blue suit stepped out of it. After standing back up, the person took off the helmet, and shook his head. "Well, that went smoothly," The man said.

"Oh, Kai! Perfect timing!" Mom said.

"Oh, President Lisa!" Kai said. "What a surprise to see that you're still here! I thought you were on your way back already?"

"Well, my nephew was going to be here, so I wanted to stay a little longer so I can see them. Little did I know that my own son was coming as well!"

"I understand. Wanting to see family is no problem at all."

"So, looks like the Ultra Transporter is finally coming along well."

"It sure is. This is the third time in a row that it transported me to the correct location."

"Sounds like you guys are making great progress! I'm happy to hear that! Good work!"

"Thank you, Mrs. President."

"Since you're here, why don't you introduce yourself to our crew?"

"Sounds good to me. Anyway, I'm Kai Collins. I'm the Vice President and Project Director of the Astrophase Corporation. Nice to meet you all!"

"My, my, Lisa," Lusamine said. "You weren't kidding when you said that you guys have made significant progress on your transporter. I'm in shock!"

"Well, it couldn't be done without your collected knowledge and data on the Ultra Wormholes," Mom said.

"Mom, is this the collab project that you mentioned?" I asked.

"It sure is!" Mom answered. "You like it so far?"

"I'm interested. What even is it?"

"We call it the Ultra Transporter."

"It's a special device that we're working on with Aether to allow anyone to transport themselves to anywhere in the world in seconds," Kai explained. "But in its current state, it's nowhere near ready for anyone outside of the two companies to use. We're also debating if this should either be available to the public, or just have it be only used by workers of both Aether and Astrophase."

"That sounds so cool," Jill said.

"I would love to have one," Sara said. "It would make travelling so much freaking easier."

"I'm glad that you all like what we have so far," Kai said. "But it's not quite ready just yet. The Ultra Transporter that I have right now is only our second prototype. We still have quite a ways to go before we have a final version. My estimate thinks that it'll be around another year or two before it's ready."

"Dammit," Hannah said. "I was looking forward to trying it out."

"We understand," Mom said. "That's something to look forward to, though. Besides, there's a chance that we might let you all be the first people outside of Aether and Astrophase to use it!"

"That would be awesome," Sara said.

"I'd be down for that," I added.

"Hey, that gives me an idea," Kai said.

"What is it, Kai?" Mom asked.

"Would it be ok by you if we show this group what else we've been working on?"

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"I'm talking about Umbrvee."

"Oh, yeah! Sure, we can show them! Have it with you?"

"Got it right here!" Kai then said as he took out a Poké Ball.

"Then call it out!" Mom said. "They can be the first people outside of here to know!"

"Sounds brilliant! Umbrvee, come out and meet some more people!" Kai said as he tossed that Poké Ball, calling out whatever Pokémon was in it.

What even is this Pokémon that Kai has? Something brand new? Maybe, but it's got a mostly black-colored body with brown and yellow spots. Kinda reminds me of Eevee a bit and one of its evolutions. It's pretty cute honestly.

"Whoa," All of us said in unison.

"What even is this thing?" Jill asked.

"It's what we call a Half Pokémon," Mom explained. "It's a new project that we've been working on since Astrophase was founded. We combine the DNA of two Pokémon in the same evolutionary line and see what the Pokémon would look like in between evolution stages. In addition, the Types of the two Pokémon get combined if they are able to."

"In case of Umbrvee, which is the Half Pokémon of Eevee, a Normal Type, and one of its evolutions, Umbreon, a Dark Type, it would be Normal/Dark Type," Kai added.

"So, this is basically Pokémon fusion?" Sara asked.

"It's a similar idea," Mom answered. "But so far, it can only be done with Pokémon in the same evolution line. We can't do this with any two Pokémon we choose; This is brand new territory for anyone. We chose to do Eevee and Umbreon as our test subject to collect more information to know how and what to improve on this project. The end goal is to make it safe enough for these Half Pokémon to be bred naturally and be raised by any Trainer."

"How long do you think it's gonna take to get everything revised?" Hannah asked.

"We're projecting about another year or so before we have just one Half Pokémon ready," Kai answered.

"'Ready?'" I asked. "Ready for what?"

"We just told you, it's to make them ready to live on their own," Mom answered. "Just like a normal Pokémon would. And the best part is, we're not inserting any computer parts into their bodies to make this work. All we had to do was combine the necessary parts of Eevee's and Umbreon's DNA to keep it functioning normally and naturally. The transformation process was quite a sight to see, as it reminds me of witnessing a Pokémon evolve, but they eventually combine into one, creating this Half Pokémon that we have here."

"I do have one question though," Jill said. "How long did it take to combine the DNA of Eevee and Umbreon?"

"The process took about forty-five minutes to an hour I would say," Kai answered. "As there is a large number of things that need close watching before we even begin the process. Right now, we're researching what happens to the moves Umbrvee can learn, which would explain why I have it with me right now. And that could also apply to what kind of Ability it could have."

"Then if that's the case, how strong is Umbrvee?" I asked.

"We're watching that closely as well," Kai answered. "But as of right now, I would say that its strength is closer to Umbreon than Eevee. Is it actually stronger than Umbreon though? We're figuring that out as well. In addition, it takes a long time for us to process and analyze the notes and test results we receive, but if I had to guess right now, I would say that it's about on par with Umbreon. That gives me an idea actually."

"What's that, Kai?" Mom asked.

"How about we let Umbrvee have a battle with one of them?" Kai suggested. "It can allow us to get a better idea of how strong Umbrvee actually is in its current state."

"I like that idea. So, who would like to have a battle with Umbrvee?"

Surprisingly, there was no one that wanted to step forward and have a battle. Granted, Selene is not really into battles all that much, but not even Sara, Hannah, or Edwin wanted to. Instead, everybody was immediately looking at me. Almost like everyone wanted to volunteer me to participate in this battle. I mean, I'm not complaining because I want to show Mom how strong I've gotten so far. Also, I hope Mike and Katie get to see this, because this is potentially very groundbreaking.

"Well, looks like I'm the one battling," I said.

"Besides, I would love to see how much you have come as a Trainer," Mom said. "If there was any time that would let me see you battle with your Pokémon for the first time in person, now is the perfect time."

"Plus, it probably wouldn't be fair since we're far more powerful than Ian at the moment," Sara said. "But he'll catch up quickly I'm sure."

"Fair point," I said. "It does sound like a fun idea anyway. But isn't this part of Aether Paradise a little small for Pokémon battles?"

"Don't worry, Ian," Lusamine said. "The Pokémon here in the Conservation Area will be safe from the battle. We recently installed a new invisible barrier system to protect the Pokémon here from any flying debris and/or attacks."

"That's convenient."

"So, what do you say, honey?" Mom asked. "You up for it?"

"Sure," I said. "I just hope Mike and Katie get to witness this."

"I know, but they got more important things on their plate to take care of at the moment. They'll hear about this in no time."

"Wait, they don't know about it yet?"

"I told them we were working on a large project, and will show them once we have something that is stable enough. So, I am planning to show them Umbrvee before I head back."

"Ah. I see."

"I think we should give them some room if they're gonna battle right now," Hannah suggested.

"Good idea," Sara said.

Just as everyone else was backing away to give Kai and I some room for our battle, I saw some more people walking by. It was Sun, Mike, and Katie. Already? They're done with their "meeting" already? This is a surprise to me.

"Ooh, looks like something's going down over here," Katie pointed out.

"That sounds exciting," Mike said. "What's going on over here?"

"Oh, there you three are!" Lusamine said. "We were just talking about you!"

"Mike!" Mom said. "Great to see you!"

"Oh, Aunt Lisa!" Mike said. "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Yeah, it has! Your cousin and one of my employees were about to have a battle, and you three are just on time!"

"Ooh, sounds exciting."

"Anyway, you must be Katie, right?"

"Yeah, that's me all right," Katie said. "Great to meet you!"

"Same to you!" Mom said. "And it's also very nice to meet you Sun. I've heard a lot about you."

"Pleasure is mine," Sun said.

"Anyway, what brings you here, Aunty?" Mike asked.

"I can explain later," Mom answered. "Let's let Ian and Kai have their battle, then we can talk. Ok?"

"Fair enough."

"If there's one thing that hasn't changed in you Mom, it's that you talk too much," I said.

"Oof," Mike said. "Saying that in front of your own mother? You got guts."

"It's ok," Mom said. "We did it to each other all the time. But he is right about that."

"I thought so," I said.

"Hope you got something good, Ian," Kai said.

"I sure do!" I said. "And a very easy pick as well. Monferno, time for a different kind of battle!" I then said as I called out my partner.

I really don't want to try to be a showoff in front of Mom. I just want her to see how much I've accomplished so far as a Trainer since Dad gave her a brief rundown after my first week of school back in Connecticut. Hopefully Lillie and Gladion will join to watch as well since it has been a while since Lillie watched me battle.

"I see," Kai said. "I really shouldn't be surprised that you chose a Fighting Type for this battle. Show me what you got then!"

"No problem!" I said. "Monferno, Mach Punch!"

Ah that first hit felt so good to me. Getting a four-times super effective attack landed right from the get-go was so satisfying. To my surprise though, Umbrvee seemed to have taken that hit pretty well. Granted, Mach Punch isn't the most powerful, even with the STAB boost, but still. Is Umbreon really as tanky as I've heard, and this is a taste of the kind of bulk it actually has? I probably worded that weirdly, but you know what I mean.

"Umbrvee, use Quick Attack!" Kai commanded.

Interesting that Kai was going for a priority move as well. Maybe its stronger moves are not very effective on Monferno or something? I need to stop making assumptions all over the place honestly, and cut down on my blabbering in general.

"Now let's give it a Flame Wheel!" I said to my partner.

"Dodge, and use Swift!" Kai said.

Umbrvee jumps high over Monferno's Flame Wheel, giving itself more than enough room to fire Swift at the fire monkey. I think this might be the first Pokémon that I've battled that gets STAB from using Swift since it's part Normal. I really like this; It's a challenge I wasn't expecting.

"Not too shabby!" I complimented.

"Your Monferno is really good as well," Kai said. "Seems you have raised it very carefully."

"We're partners after all. Right, bud?"

Monferno did a backflip and gave a thumbs up. How could you not smile at that?! I knew right from the start that this would be the Pokémon I would be most proud of, but that's too early to say. I'm probably not making any sense…

"Good to see that you two seemed to have built up a strong bond as well," Kai pointed out.

"Indeed," I said. "Now Monferno, use Ember."

Granted Ember isn't as strong as Flame Wheel, even with the STAB boost, but it's always good to give yourself some coverage of whichever offense your Pokémon is not as good at, if that makes sense. Basically, since I see Monferno as a physical attacker, I tend to go for Ember for special coverage every now and then. Helpful for Pokémon that might have Abilities that activate on contact.

"Interesting choice for you," Kai pointed out. "Umbrvee, give Bite a chance."

Interesting for Kai to use a Dark-Type move on Monferno. He definitely wanted to see how much damage that would do, and to get STAB damage in there as well, even though he already has Swift and Quick Attack. Has he even used Umbrvee's fourth move yet? I don't think he has.

"Very curious as to why he went for that even though we're faster," I said to myself. "Nevertheless, Monferno, use Dig!"

"Stay focused, Umbrvee," Kai said to the Half Pokémon. "Once you've located it, use Quick Attack."

I'm honestly surprised he's not going for Swift, since that's a guaranteed hit. But I guess if there's no target in sight, then Swift is basically useless.

Seems Umbrvee has found a spot to strike Monferno, as it took off toward a specific spot. Once Umbrvee got close to its spot, it lept, and then it took off toward the ground with Quick Attack. So, it basically used Quick Attack to pounce on the ground..?

Well that didn't seem to do anything to Monferno, as it came out of the ground to strike Umbrvee, sending it flying toward the opposite corner. "Well that didn't work," Kai said to himself. "Are you okay?"

Kai's Pokémon is still going strong. I'm honestly surprised that it's lasted this long against a Pokémon that it's four times weak to. Kai has definitely raised it very well from what I could tell. That rhymed.

"I'm glad about that," He said. "Use Swift!"

That Swift finally landed a crit. It was only a matter of time before he got one. So I can't exactly say that I was surprised about this.

"Man, this thing is still going?" I said to myself. "I don't know much about Umbreon's defenses, but wow this thing is tanky. Not even this many hits from a Monferno can take it down. You doing alright there, bud?"

Now I'm starting to pick up some of Mike's dialogue after I said that. Cause Monferno knows Mike says that a lot, but not me. Anyway, the fire monkey was doing just fine as well, just as I expected.

"That's good," I said before taking a deep breath. "Damn, that thing is holding strong, Kai! I like it a lot!"

"I'm glad you do!" Kai responded.

"Then let's wrap this up! Monferno, Mach Punch!"

"Quick Attack!"

Both Pokémon charged at each other. They're at their breaking points. Whichever lands first will win, and whoever doesn't will fall. That said, both of them did make contact, so we'll get to see the results once the dust settles.

All we see is Monferno standing, but Umbrvee not. Looks like we won, but Kai's taking a closer look before any results are declared. "Aw, shucks," Kai said. "Looks like you've won this time, Ian."

"Oh wow," I said. "I honestly wasn't expecting it to be that quick."

"Well, you certainly had it easy this time given you had the advantage."

"On top of that, both of you are incredibly strong!" Elio added.

"I'm not that strong yet, Elio," I said. "Nowhere near as strong as Mike."

"You'll catch up to him in the future," Mom said. "You seem to be growing at a good rate. That was a fine battle, too!"

"Thanks, Mom."

"That was indeed a great battle from both sides," Kai said. "This is great information for us."

"Yes," Mom said as she nodded. "Hey, Ian, I just got an idea, and a favor to ask of you."

"What?" I asked.

"How would you like to take Umbrvee on your journey?"

"P-President Lisa! Are you serious?!" Kai said in shock. "We were just getting even more useful data on Umbrvee!"

"Relax, Kai. Before you flip your lid, I was also going to ask Ian to send updates on Umbrvee for us. He can basically be an assistant for us! And it gives me a chance to talk to him more often now!"

"You really are serious about this, huh," I said.

"Of course, sweetie!" Mom said. "I have no problem with trusting you to take care of Umbrvee now that I've seen your battle prowess in person!"

"I dunno. Sounds like quite a task, and a bit unfair for the Pokémon League. Mike, you're the Champion. What do you think I should do?"

"Hmm," Mike said. "You do have a point about the Pokémon League. I don't think my colleagues would be happy that I bent the rules for this occasion. But for every other battle outside of Gym Battles and the League itself, I don't see it being much of an issue. As long as you're ok with a handicap like that, of course. It's your call, though, bud."

"I agree with him," Katie added. "If you just wanna use Umbrvee in battles against your friends, I don't think it's a big deal either. I just don't wanna see you disqualified from the Pokémon League though."

"That's what I'm worried about with this," I said. "It sounds like a huge risk I would be taking."

"It's not a big deal if you don't want to," Mom said. "I understand."

"Yeah, I don't think I can run that kind of risk. As great as it would be to have a one-of-a-kind Pokémon on my team, I'd rather save a slot for a Pokémon I legit want to use every day with no caveats. However, there is one exception I can do."

"And that would be?"

"How about I take it home with me as a pet Pokémon? I can still provide any info you guys might need for your research. And Dad and I can take care of it together."

"You know, that's not a bad idea actually," Kai said. "Because if you're going to be competing in the Pokémon League, we don't want to see you disqualified because of your mother's offer."

"I agree with Kai," Mike said. "It's probably the safest route you can take, Ian."

"Even if you don't get to have this unique Pokémon for your team, you still get to have a unique Pokémon as a high-quality pet!" Sara added.

All of us were dead silent as we stared at Sara. "What?" She asked with a huge smile on her face. "All of our Pokémon need equal love and care, after all."

"She's right about that," Edwin said.

"Plus Eevee is adorable, Umbreon is gorgeous, and you get both in one package!" Hannah said. "I would've done the same thing!"

"Well, President Lisa?" Kai asked. "What do you think?"

"I think that's a great idea," Mom said. "It lets you and your father do stuff together, and it gives the house some more liveliness! I can allow that!"

"Sweet!" I said.

"Ian!" Lillie shouted as she and Gladion were approaching us.

"Huh?" I said as I turned around. "Lillie! Gladion!"

"We heard a lot of noises coming from here," Gladion said. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah, nothing's wrong here. I just had a battle with Kai from Astrophase, who had quite a unique Pokémon!"

"Astrophase?" Lillie asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "That's where my mom works."

"Oh. That's nice."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, not at all. We thought there was an actual problem up here, so we came as fast as we could."

"Where's that 'unique Pokémon' in question?" Lillie's brother asked with quite the menacing look. "I need to see it for myself."

"It's right behind me," I answered.

"Bree!" Umbrvee shouted.

"What the hell is this?!" Gladion suddenly asked in shock.

"It's one of our Half Pokémon," Kai answered. "It's basically a fusion of Eevee and Umbreon."

"Pokémon fusion? What kind of benefits does this bring?"

"We're conducting various experiments on this very topic."

"What kinds of experiments?" Lillie asked.

"That's confidential information for now," Kai answered. "If it were in fact harmful to all of us, we wouldn't have Umbrvee out with us right now, anyway!"

"I got my eyes on you," Gladion said with that same menacing look. "Because while this one isn't harmful now, I'm worried about any future 'Half Pokémon' you might make."

"Don't get all worked up about it. We have a very small compatibility of Pokémon that can forego this transformation at the moment-To make sure it's safe for everyone to use and capture eventually."

"I trust them," Lillie said. "I wouldn't be so worried about it now, Gladion."

"Fine," Gladion said as he sighed. "But mark my words, if anything even remotely dangerous happens to these Pokémon, you will be hearing from me." Gladion then turned around and started to walk away. "I'll see you later, Mother. I've got training to do."

"Can that kid of mine lose the edge just a little bit?" Lusamine said to herself. "I'm worried about his well being."

"He'll be fine, Mother," Lillie said. "He's probably worked up over nothing right now."

"I hope you're right."

"I'm sure she is," Selene added. "I doubt there's anything wrong right now anyway.

"You're right, Selene," Lusamine said after she giggled.

"Yeah," Lillie said. "He may seem intimidating on the outside, but he's got such a warm heart on the inside. He really cares about the people and Pokémon that are close to him."

"Wait!" Sara said as she tried to run toward Gladion. "Come back! I wanna give you a hug!

"Not so fast, Sara," Hannah said as she grabbed Sara's hood, stopping her in her tracks.

"But he clearly needs a hug! There's gotta be some softness in him if what Lillie said is true, which she certainly is!"

"Aww, you're being so adorable, Sara," Lillie said as she giggled. "I also appreciate that you're concerned about him."

"She's definitely a cutie," Edwin said. "And very caring."

"Aww," Sara said as she hugged her boyfriend. "Love you, too."

"So, Mike, what are you and your friends heading to next?" Sun asked. "Unless there was anything else that you wanted to discuss that is."

"Katie and I were gonna go do some exploring for a bit, but I dunno what everyone else is doing," Mike answered. "We're gonna be here for a few days, anyway."

"Well, is it ok if I suggest something?" Mom asked.

"Sure, Aunty," Mike said.

"Ian, there are some very good Pokémon that can be found here in Alola, but aren't found in Connecticut," Mom told me. "Why don't you go looking for some of them, and maybe even catch one to raise on your team?"

"She's onto something, man!" Elio told me. "Go for it!"

"We can help out since we're from here, after all!" Selene added.

"That's not a bad idea at all," I said. "I was hoping to catch a Pokémon from Alola anyway! Got any good spots you can recommend, then?"

"You bet!" Elio said.

"There are plenty of spots here in Alola for you to find some strong Pokémon to catch!" Selene added.

"Now, now, before we get ahead of ourselves," Sun interrupted. "Ian, you're challenging the Pokémon Gyms back at home, right?"

"Yeah," I answered.

"How many Badges have you got, then?"

"I've got three so far."

"So, if this were the Island Challenge, then that would be the equivalent of having cleared three standard Trials, and one Grand Trial."

"If that's the case, then sticking to areas on Melemele and/or Akala Islands are good places for you to explore," Lusamine suggested.

"Exactly," Sun said.

"Wait, will we be able to know if we're entering a Trial Area?" Jill asked.

"Yep," Sun answered. "There are big signs and a gate at the entrance to each Trial to let you know. And there are wild Pokémon found in there as well, but you'll have to complete the Trial if you want to catch any Pokémon from that area."

"I'd say that's a fair compromise," Katie said. "Cause there are plenty of other areas that you can explore besides the Trials after all. Alola isn't only known for just the Island Challenge."

"Exactly. How about we explore both islands so that you can see all that both islands have to offer? I'll give you guys the tour!"

"That sounds like fun!" Jill said.

"Yeah, I'm down for that," I said. "I definitely wanna bring something home from here, after all."

"This is gonna be awesome!" Selene said. "I can't wait to see what you could catch, Ian, and Jill!"

"We're excited as well!" Sara said. "There's a lot of amazing Pokémon found here in Alola!"

"What she said," Edwin added.

"Plus, I get to see what Pokémon I may have missed out for my team," Hannah said.

"I was just about to say that," Sara said.

"Anyway, Lillie, how about you give your friends a tour of the Paradise?" Lusamine offered.

"I'd love to!" Lillie said with a glowing look on her face.

"I am curious as to what this place has in store, after all," Mike said. "So I'll join along as well. Katie, you coming, too?"

"That sounds nice!" Katie added. "Sara, what about you, Hannah, and Edwin?"

"Of course we're tagging along as well!" Sara quickly answered. "I wanna see all the nitty-gritty stuff they have!"

"You actual nerd," Edwin teased.

"Hey! That's my line!"

Just before Lillie gave us the tour, we made our way to the cafeteria so we can grab some lunch since all of us were getting pretty hungry. And what a tour it was. This place has so much stuff that I can't even describe it all properly!

We got to see the rooms we'll be staying in at Lusamine's mansion as well. I'm gonna be so spoiled by this place, it's not even funny. Not even any of my favorite hotels can even come close to the luxurious feeling that Lusamine's mansion gives off! But we won't be sitting around here for tomorrow, as we got some exploring to do! And I'm really looking forward to that!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

We were originally gonna go do some exploring on Melemele Island yesterday, but everyone got hit hard with jetlag, so we decided to spend the day yesterday relaxing. That was such a good idea honestly, 'cause now I feel even more refreshed today than when we departed from Connecticut. Lillie even decided to join us even though she's an Alolan native.

Once we docked in Hau'Oli City, we all stopped at the malasada shop to grab some breakfast before we hit the road. Our first destination was at another Pokémon Center, but this one is on the route north of Hau'Oli, and is across the way from a cave entrance.

"All right then," Sun started. "This is our first stop for today: Verdant Cavern."

"Why a cave for our first stop?" Jill asked.

"That's because this happens to be the first Trial Site here in Alola," Sun answered. "Well, first as in the first Trial that Trainers challenge on their Island Challenge."

"Little dark in here, I must say," I said.

"Gee, you don't say, Ian?" Jill said sarcastically.

"Anyway," Sun started again after he chuckled. "The Trials here in Alola can take on pretty much any form, much like the Trials you got back in Connecticut."

"I just have one question, though," I asked. "Are these Trials open to tourists out of curiosity?"

"Yes, but no at the same time," Sun answered.

"See, tourists are able to explore the Trials as they please, but if they would like to catch any of the wild Pokémon found here, then they will have to challenge the Trial first," Someone explained as they were walking in.

"Ah, Ilima, go to see you again!" Sun said as he turned around to see who walked in.

"Alola to you as well!" Ilima said. "Got a group of newcomers, I see?"

"Actually, we're all just visiting for a few days," Mike answered.

"Oh, you must be Mike, the US Champion, right?"

"Yep. And you are?"

"I'm Ilima, the Trial Captain here on Melemele Island. Pleasure to meet you all!"

You can guess what followed, so I'm not gonna bore you here. It's cool that we got the chance to meet a Trial Captain here from Alola though, so I'm not complaining about that. If there's one thing about this guy that stands out to me the most is, weirdly, his pink hair of all things.

"I just have one question, though," Jill said.

"Sure," Ilima said. "Ask away."

"What if you come to the Trial with a group of people like right now? Does everyone in the group have to challenge the Trial in order to catch any wild Pokémon here?"

"That depends on the size of your group. If it's just you and another person, then you two can challenge the Trial together. But given how large this group is, that would theoretically create quite the backlog of Challengers. I don't remember seeing this large of a group at my Trial Site before. Sun, what should we do?"

"Normally, I would suggest all of you to give it a try, but we'd be here all day," Sun answered. "So I'm sure it'll be fine if we just allow one person to do all the heavy work for their group, and let everyone else catch a Pokémon here if they want."

"You're not kidding."

"Come on, it's not like I let this happen all the time. This is for a special occasion, not for an everyday Trainer. I'll let Hala know about it, if that makes you feel better."

"That's ok. I understand what you're saying."

"Who's Hala, Sun?" I asked.

"He's the Island Kahuna here on Melemele Island," Sun answered. "One of four you battle in the Grand Trials here in Alola. You get the chance to battle them once you have cleared all of the other Trials on an island."

"And since Verdant Cavern has the only Trial here on Melemele Island, in theory, one of you could have the chance to battle Hala!" Ilima added.

"That sounds exciting!" I said.

"It is!" Elio said. "Hala's really strong, too!"

"Yeah, he's no joke alright," Sun added. "Packed quite a doozy when I first battled him. So, who wants to take the liberty of challenging the Verdant Cavern Trial?"

"I will!" Jill quickly volunteered.

"Actually, I want to," Elio said. "I wanna see what these are like since I just missed out on them before we moved."

"But, but I…"

"Come on, you get to do the Trials back in Connecticut anyway. So I don't think it's the end of the world to let someone else take the reins."

"I kinda agree with Elio," Katie said. "Besides, Jill, you're challenging Pokémon Ultimates back at home. You'll have plenty of chances to take on more Trials back at home, too."

"All right," Jill said. "Good luck, Elio."

"Thanks!" Elio said. "This'll be a piece of cake!"

Elio finished the Trial in about an hour, and it was about what I expected after seeing the Trials that Jill has challenged so far. Though the big difference that I noticed is the very large Pokémon that Elio battled at the end, which apparently is called a Totem Pokémon. Once Elio had defeated the Totem Pokémon, which was called Gumshoos, he was rewarded a Z-Crystal.

"See?" Elio said. "Wasn't bad at all! That was really fun actually!"

"You did a great job!" Sun complimented. "Your Torracat seemed to handle it with no worries."

"Why didn't you try to use your other Pokémon, Elio?" Selene asked. "Like your Trumbeak or Charjabug?"

"I had enough confidence in Dartrix to get through the entire thing," Elio answered. "Had things go downhill, then I would've switched out anyway."

"I see. I was just curious because I saw you training with your other Pokémon, so I was thinking if you were gonna use any of them."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to use more of my team next time."

"That's good. I get that Torracat is your partner, but you just gotta make sure that you use all of your Pokémon equally."

"She's right though, Elio," Sun added. "While the performance of you and Torracat was great, I was kinda expecting you to use your other Pokémon, especially against the Totem Pokémon. Just remember that for any of your upcoming battles, ok?"

"Got it," Elio said. "And thanks."

"So, Elio, which Z-Crystal did you get?" I asked.

"That's Normalium Z," Elio answered.

"Oh."

"Wait, you have that one, right?"

"Yeah, I do."

"That's nice, Ian," Sun said. "How did you get yours, if I may ask?"

"From my first Gym Battle," I answered.

"Ah, I see. Seems you guys get both Z-Crystals and Gym Badges."

"Yeah, you can say that," Mike said. "It was all a mess at first to say the least."

"I see."

As we all just kept on talking, I noticed a group of Pokémon surrounding something, and they were getting a bit aggressive. Something's telling me that we should check.

"What's going on over there?" I asked, looking at the group of Pokémon. "What even are those things?"

"Oh, those are Alolan Rattata," Selene answered. "Heard of them?"

"I've heard of the Alola Forms, but never knew that Rattata was one of them. I've even met a Pokémon with an Alolan Form."

"Oh? And which one was that?"

"That would be Shiron," Lillie answered for me.

"Oh, I should've known..," Selene said in embarrassment as she sweatdropped.

"That's ok. Anyway, Ian, unlike Kantonian Rattata, which are pure Normal Type, Alolan Rattata are Dark/Normal."

"Plus their evolution, Raticate, has an Alolan Form as well. They're pretty much everywhere on Melemele Island though, especially Rattata."

"I see," I said.

"But I don't recall hearing about Alolan Rattata being that aggressive in the wild," Elio said. "They must be attacking something, and something small."

"We should check it out, then."

"Just be careful, Ian," Lillie said, expressing her concern.

"Don't worry, I will," I said to Lillie. Then I attempted to approach them. Right as I got close, they noticed me, and stared me down. "What is even going on here?! Huh?" As I took a look at what they were surrounding, I became even more concerned. They were ganging up on a little Pokémon, and they are getting ready to attack me next.

"What is that?" I asked myself.

"Find something?" Elio asked.

"They're surrounding a small Pokémon, and looks like they were attacking it," I answered. "And I think I'm next. Looks like I'll have to take them all on at once." I had to take a step back, cause I doubt that these Pokémon will let me step any closer

Not all of them stayed, however. There were six of them, but only three remain as the other three ran away. That let us get a better look at the Pokémon the Rattata were attacking. Looks like some sort of bat Pokémon or something. It couldn't be a Zubat since it's not blue.

"Aww, those mean Rattata were ganging up on a poor Noibat," Selene said. "How cruel!"

"Yeah, but do you really think you're gonna battle all three at once, Ian?" Elio asked. "Cause there's no way I'm not helping!"

"Me, too!"

"Wait, what are you guys saying?" I asked.

"Both of us are gonna battle these Rattata with you!" Elio said. "We can make this a trio battle!"

"What? A trio battle?"

"You seriously never heard of trio battles?" Selene asked. "It's a battle format where three Trainers team up at once."

"No wonder I never heard of them," I said. "I never heard anyone talk about them in Sinnoh."

"They are common in some parts of the world, and that includes the US," Mike explained. "Let's see how you do."

"Alright, I guess. Monferno!"

"Dartrix!" Selene shouted as she tossed her Poké Ball.

"Go Torracat!" Elio said.

Well this is going to be an interesting experience. I'm used to battling with another person, but not with two other people at once.

"So, this is basically just a tag battle, but with an extra person?" I asked.

"Yes, and no," Elio answered.

"Heard of the triple battle?" Selene asked.

"Yeah," I answered. "I was just about to do that with these Rattata."

"Imagine that, but with three Trainers battling instead of three of your own Pokémon at once."

"I get it now."

"So, Ian, wanna go first?" Elio asked.

"I was just about to call Monferno to use Mach Punch in the middle!" I said.

I seem to like starting off a battle with Mach Punch if I can. Plus, it'd be stupid of me to not go for the quad weakness if I get the chance! Pokémon battling ain't rocket science! Most of the time…

"Dartrix, use Peck on the left!" Selene said.

"Torracat, get the right with Double Kick!" Elio called.

I figured we'd see the first turn, cause while I found the concept to be very enjoyable, there was nothing else that was very exciting. Plus the Rattata were a lot weaker than I thought they were. So they were just all bark and no bite sort of speak. After we defeated them, they booked it, and got completely out of our sight.

"Well that wasn't too bad," I said. "That was actually pretty easy."

"Yeah," Elio said.

"That was a nice change of pace though," Selene said. "These kinds of battles are easier for me since the pressure isn't completely on your shoulders."

"I get what you mean," I said. "These battles are pretty fun though. I wanna try some more when we get home."

"Once you get stronger, we definitely will," Mike said. "But for now, you should check on the Noibat."

"Right." Noibat didn't seem too beaten up from the Rattata, but it doesn't hurt to check on it. "Hey, you doing okay?" I asked as I picked up Noibat.

The poor thing is so frightened. I can't blame it though. Those Rattata must've came and attacked out of nowhere. Luckily, I don't see any bad marks on it, so it must've been trying to fight back as much as possible.

"How is it?" Sara asked.

"Is it hurt?" Hannah asked.

"Doesn't seem like it," I said. "Looks like it's just fine, albeit very shook."

"Thank goodness," Jill said. "I was getting a bit worried there."

"Don't blame you, Jill," Mike said.

"You seem to care a lot about Pokémon if you were expressing concern about a wild Pokémon," Ilima complimented.

"Yeah," Jill said. "I grew up on my family's Pokémon Daycare, and I was able to help care for a lot of them. That inspired me to want to learn how to care for a lot of Pokémon in addition to becoming a strong Trainer!"

"Sounds like you got a great goal on your hands. I wish you the best of luck with it!"

"Thanks! I'll try my best! Ian, can I take a look?"

"Sure," I said, handing her Noibat.

Noibat started to flip out as I was handing it to Jill. It really must be that traumatized if it's freaking out like that. "It's ok, it's ok," Jill softly said as she took Noibat into her hands. "I'm not gonna hurt you. You're gonna be just fine."

The little bat was still squirming in Jill's arms, and trying to leap away from her. On top of that, it looks like it's trying to come back to me.

"Here, let me have a look," Katie suggested as she walked to Jill. "I don't see any bad scrapes or wounds. Either those Rattata were that weak or Noibat really did a number on them with fighting back. I don't understand why it hasn't calmed down yet, though."

"Does it want to go back to Ian?" Sara asked. "Cause I saw it trying to reach for him."

"Doesn't hurt to try," I said as I took Noibat into my arms. Right as it got back into my arms, it was a lot calmer. "Looks like Sara was right."

"It seems to feel safer with him since he stepped in to save it," Ilima said.

"You might be right about that, Ilima," Sun said.

"We should probably take it to a Pokémon Center," I suggested. "Is there one close by?"

"There's one right outside of here," Ilima said. "I'll lead the way."

"Great. Thanks."

This was also a good opportunity to take Noibat outside, ensuring that it was safe, and no wild Pokémon were going to attack us. There was no point in returning it to where it came from in the cavern if it was that spooked. It'll probably be even more scared of it being alone, worrying that the Rattata might return, and attack it again.

"Thanks for waiting," The nurse told us as we were waiting at the Pokémon Center. "Noibat is feeling much better now."

"Thank you so much, Nurse Joy," Lillie said.

"Yeah, thanks," I said.

"Always happy to help!" Nurse Joy said.

"You doing okay now, Noibat?" I asked the little bat Pokémon.

Noibat looked a lot happier now that it got treated at a Pokémon Center. It was nowhere as scared as it was prior, which makes me feel better.

"That's good to hear," Jill said.

"So, how about we bring you back home?" I asked Noibat. That scared it once again. Clearly it doesn't want to leave me. I guess that I left that much of an impact on Noibat, which I honestly didn't expect.

"Well, that is a definite 'no,'" Hannah said.

"Clearly." That gave me an idea. Maybe I should raise this Noibat since it's this attached to me. "I got an idea. How would you like it if you came with me instead?"

Noibat loved that idea, as it tried to fly behind me to touch one of my Poké Balls, and in it went. Now that makes five Pokémon on my team, and I'm glad that it's a Pokémon like this.

"Can't said I'm not surprised about that," Elio said.

"I'm happy for Noibat and all, but why would you even want a Noibat if you wanted to catch a Pokémon only found here in Alola?" Selene asked. "You can find those in the Kalos region as well."

"You are right about that, Selene," Mike said. "But when you have a Pokémon that attached to you, it's kinda hard to turn them down, especially after saving its life."

"Exactly what I was about to say," I said. "Come on out, Noibat!" I then said as I called it back out. Right as it came out, it rested on my shoulder like a bird Pokémon. "I'm glad you decided to come along! In fact, let's see what the Pokédex has to say about you."

"Noibat: The Sound Wave Pokémon," The Pokédex started. "A Flying/Dragon Type. Noibat live in pitch-black caves, and their very large ears can create ultrasonic waves of 200,000hz."

"I congratulate you on earning a new team member, Ian," Ilima complimented. "I hope you raise it well."

"I plan to!" I said.

"Well, I better get going then. Still got to do my duty as Trial Captain."

"Ok," Sun said. "See you around."

"Back at you, Sun," Ilima said. "Mike, Katie, it was great seeing you. And I wish everyone the best of luck on their training!" The pink-haired boy then walked out of the Pokémon Center, returning to his job.

"So, how about we do some more exploring then?" Sun asked.

All of us were on board with that idea, as we headed back to Hau'Oli City, and made our way to another island, called Akala Island. We got to see some of Lillie's other friends while we were here as well, which was pleasant. After that, we made our back to Aether Paradise to settle in for the night.

I decided to check what moves Noibat has after we got back to Aether Paradise, and it's not bad at all. It's got Bite, Wing Attack, Agility, and Air Cutter. Pretty good to start, if I'm being honest.

During the rest of our stay, we got a full tour of the Paradise, and learned what goals Aether have as a corporation. We spent our last day in Hau'Oli City to visit a facility called the Alola Photo Club, which allows us to grab pictures of us and our Pokémon. That was actually really fun, even though I can be camera shy at times. As quickly as this trip came, it is about to wrap up unfortunately. Time for some more jet lag!

Our flight back home is at 10:30 in the morning, so we had to get up extra early so that we can get breakfast and head to the airport. I decided to get a bag of malasadas just because I can't get enough of these things. I also promised Dad that I would bring some home for him. Mom came to the airport with us to see us off before she takes her own flight back to Astrophase's headquarters.

"Thanks for inviting us, Sun," Mike said.

"Thanks for coming!" Sun said. "It was great to see you two again, after all!"

"Likewise," Katie said.

"Aunty, you sure you don't wanna come with us?" Mike asked.

"I got my own flight to catch soon," Mom answered. "I'm sorry. Had I not had that scheduled, I definitely would've went with you guys."

"We understand," I said.

"Oh, Ian, did you get your father a souvenir?"

"I did. I got him some malasadas and a mug from a nearby gift shop."

"That's nice. I hope you all come visit Astrophase soon, though! We love having visitors!"

"We'll definitely try," Mike said.

Mom then approached me to give me one last hug before we left to board our flight. "Tell your father I said hello," Mom told me.

"I will," I said.

"Oh, Ian, Jill, I almost forgot something," Sun said quickly.

"What is it, Sun?" I asked.

"Can I ask you two a favor?"

"Sure," Jill said. "What do you need?"

Sun then put his backpack on the floor, pulling out two brown-colored eggs from the largest pocket. "I got two Pokémon Eggs here, but I got no room on my team for both of them. So, can you two raise them for me?"

"I'd love to!" Jill quickly said. "This would be a great learning experience for you, Ian!"

"I don't have a problem with that," I said, taking one of the Eggs.

"Great!" Sun said. "Thanks!"

"No prob!" Jill and I said together.

"Well, guys, ready to head home?" Mike asked.

"Mike!" Sun interrupted yet again.

"Yeah?" Mike asked.

"If you run into Ash Ketchum again, tell him to come back to Alola. I would like to have another battle with him again!"

"Of course! I'm sure he'd love to hear that!"

We all said our goodbyes to Mom and Sun, and boarded our flight. Back to Connecticut we go now. Now it looks like I got two new Pokémon to raise simultaneously, hopefully in preparation for my next Gym Battle when we get back. But for now, time for me to get some sleep until we land.


End file.
